Minister Nara Lokesh explained that Visakhapatnam would be entirely transformed with the Google investment. He compared it to how the presence of Microsoft had restructured Hyderabad in the past. Addressing the media briefing at Amaravati, he further explained that other AI companies and data centers are relocating to Visakhapatnam as part of the "Speed of Doing Business" initiative.
Lokesh added that Google investment would create over one lakh employment opportunities. He hosted Google representatives in Visakhapatnam in September 2024 and met them at the intended data center site. Later, he hosted Google Cloud leaders in the United States of America. In November, Google representatives paid a visit to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to finalize the plans. Lokesh added that these investments were facilitated by always speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Lokesh emphasized that the primary goal of the government is to decentralize development across Andhra Pradesh. As per him, industries are being established in various districts:
Pumped storage and cement factories in Anantapur and Kurnool
The government is keen to encourage balanced growth across all regions of the state, Lokesh added.
According to Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh ranks high in the "Speed of Doing Business" list. He further explained that the state focuses on actual implementation rather than supporting memorandums of understanding (MoUs). The government has an aim to create 20 lakh jobs, five lakh jobs alone in IT.
He assured that no company would leave the state and said the administration is working to reverse the setbacks of the past five years. Lokesh described Andhra Pradesh as having a “double engine bullet train government,” referring to the collaboration between Prime Minister Modi’s leadership at the national level and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s governance in the state.
Lokesh disclosed that Google is investing 15 billion dollars in the development of a data centre in Visakhapatnam, the largest investment in the state's history. He further stated that there were some more good announcements to be made during November.
He also added that the government will reduce electricity tariffs by 13 paise per unit from November onwards. Opposition allegations were mere propaganda, Lokesh said and reiterated that the current government would continue with transparency, development, and the generation of employment in Andhra Pradesh.
