AP targets 15 pc GSDP growth by 2010: Minister

Hyderabad, Apr 4: With a conducive climate for industrial investments, both domestic and foreign, Andhra Pradesh aims to achieve a growth of 15 per cent in Gross State Domestic Product by 2010, Major Industries Minister J Geeta Reddy said today.

Taking part in a public session on ''collaborate-innovate-inspire for inclusive sustainable growth and competitiveness'', organised by the CII, she was confident that the state would boost its share in exports from India from the present 4.39 per cent to 10 per cent with emphasis on agro-processing.

Calling for more public-private partnership to survive in the WTO era, she said the Government was keen on promoting the cluster concept to make Indian companies globally competitive. She commended the CII for promoting industries in tier II cities, inclduing Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.

Dr Reddy, also tourism minister, said the state had emerged as an ideal tourist destination offering a plurality of attractions for visitors.

Hyderabad, which had already become a biotechnology hub as also convention capital with its world class Convention centre, was turning into medical capital of the country offering quality healthcare to global citizens, she noted.

Highlighting the vast potential of Andhra Pradesh, she listed the various concessions extended to the industries, including power, at a concessional tariff for Industries and ploughing back 25 per cent of the VAT back to Industries.

UNI