Andhra Pradesh will be a strategic location for investments in manufacturing and has the potential to be an industrial hub, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

He was addressing the captains of industry at the National Council meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

“The long coastline and other infrastructure projects to be developed by the State Government offer huge investment opportunities in pharma, automobile, hardware and agri industries,’‘ Naidu said. 

As the skill gap has been a major issue for the industry of late, the State Government was focussing on bridging the shortfall of skills to create more employment for the youth and also facilitating investments in the industrial sector in the State.

One of the first files signed by Naidu after assuming charge as Chief Minister last month was on conducting a skill census in the State, a first-of-its-kind initiative, the process of which had already begun.

“The skill census will help access global employment opportunities. Visakhapatnam will be developed as a financial hub,’‘ he added.