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The Andhra Pradesh Government will provide necessary infrastructure, incentives and skill upgradation facilities for the pharma industry and the captains of the industry should come forward to invest on a large scale in the State, according to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
He was speaking at Derasam village of Srikakulam district after inaugurating the formulations unit of the VKT Pharma Private Limited – a company of the SMS Pharma group.
The unit was set up in 17 acres at a cost of ₹200 crores for producing 1.4 billion tablets per annum.
Naidu said that when he was Chief Minister of undivided AP, the State was in the first position in the country and now had slipped to third, with Maharashtra and Gujarat overtaking it.
“I shall make all efforts to make AP number one in the pharma sector. There is immense scope for bulk drug units. The State Government is going to set up a mission for skill development and therefore the industry would get the right kind of personnel. But they should provide jobs to the locals mainly,” he said.
Labour unrest Alluding to labour unrest in Srikakulam district, he said the unions should also play a constructive role in the economic growth of the State.
“It should be a combined effort of the Government, the industry, the unions and the local people. Only then can districts like Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, lagging far behind other districts can be taken forward. Industry and tourism are absolutely necessary for growth, and agriculture alone will not suffice, though it cannot be neglected,” he said.
Expansion P Ramesh Babu, the Chairman of the company, said the unit had been built to world class standards and there would not be any pollution. Only the first phase has been completed and the company will spend ₹300 crores more on the next two phases, taking the capacity to 4 billion tablets per annum. Injectibles and orals would also be produced.
He said several MNCs had already approached the unit for contract manufacturing of drugs. He assured the CM and the people that his company would be a good corporate citizen and strive for the development of Srikakulam district.
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