East Godavari, the biggest district in Andhra Pradesh, is in the forefront agriculturally, but is lagging in industrial growth and all steps would be taken to promote industry as well as tourism in the district, according to H Arun Kumar, the district collector.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar organised by the Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries Federation and the Cocanada Chamber of Commerce here on Thursday evening.

The Collector said there were only a handful of major units and a number of small units in the district, even though it was well endowed with natural resources and different agro-climatic regions.

He said the government would make it easier for the existing units as well as for the new units.

Tourism potential The Centre had allocated ₹100 crore for tourism promotion in the district and the State government allocated an equal sum under the Akhanda Godavari tourism scheme announced by the Chief Minister recently during Godvari Pushkaram.

G Sambasiva Rao, the vice-president of the chamber, said there was immense scope for not only agro-based units but others as well and the chamber would help prospective as well as existing entrepreneurs.

The president of the Cocanada Chamber of Commerce, D Surya Rao, said there was no need to dwell on the injustices and imbalances of the past, but to take urgent steps to exploit the full potential of the district on the industrial and tourism fronts.

A Ramakrishna Reddy, the president of the district Rice Millers’ Association, said the district had the largest number of rice mills in the united state as well as now but the rice milling industry was suffering because of the erroneous policies of the government.

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