IT exports turn over registers 51 per cent growth: CM

Hyderabad, Nov 16 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said the state has achieved an Information Technology (IT) export turn over of Rs 12,521 crore registering 51 per cent growth, the highest against the national average of 36 per cent.

Inaugurating a two-day conference on export and import excellence organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here, Mr Reddy said though the share of Andhra Pradesh was about four per cent of India's total exports, the state would double this by augumenting the special thrust in potential sectors in the future.

He said the state government was making use of concept of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to promote exports from all parts of the state, including rural areas. The Government of India had accorded approval for 41 SEZs, 14 in the industrial sector and 27 in IT sector.

However, it was necessary to diversify the basket of exports from the state and for this the government was focussing on increasing exports from highly labour intensive manufacturing sectors such as gems, jewellery, footwear, textiles and apparels.

He said the setting up of SEZs would lead to good export performance from these Zones. As far as exports from agriculture sector was concerned, he said an agri export zone had been established at Chittoor for mango pulp and vegetables.

The state government has decided to establish an agri export zone for chillies in Guntur to promote chilli production.

He said the state was gifted with plenty of resources of natural gas located in Krishna and Godavari Basin. The government was planning to utilise the gas available in Krishna and Godavari basin to achieve long-term, sustainable, environment friendly and high industrial growth rate for the state by establishing a gas grid for storage and transport to all the parts of the state.

This would promote exports from the state, he added.

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