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AP CM Naidu Eyes Maldives-Style Island Tourism & Rs 19,391 Crore Investments

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to develop island tourism in the state, drawing inspiration from the Maldives, with a focus on areas like Suryalanka beach and islands near Sullurpeta. He emphasized creating a master plan for beach tourism and developing clusters in regions like Papikondalu and Konaseema. In a major economic push, the State Investment Board approved 14 new projects worth Rs 19,391 crore, expected to generate thousands of jobs. The CM also highlighted progress in the power sector, including a tariff reduction, as a key factor attracting large corporate investments to the state.

Key Points: AP Plans Maldives-Style Island Tourism, Approves Major Projects

  • Develop Maldives-style island tourism
  • Master plan for 15-km Suryalanka beach
  • 14 projects worth Rs 19,391 crore approved
  • Target Rs 1,000 crore tourism income in 15 years
  • Power tariff reduced for consumers
3 min read

Andhra Pradesh CM calls for developing island tourism

Andhra CM Naidu directs officials to develop island tourism like Maldives and approves 14 projects worth Rs 19,391 crore to boost investment and jobs.

"We should develop island tourism on the lines of the Maldives. If we can build 25,000 rooms, we can attract tourists. - N. Chandrababu Naidu"

Amaravati, Jan 6

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday called for developing island tourism in the state on the lines of the Maldives.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to promote tourism in a big way and prepare a master plan for beach tourism.

Addressing the Pradesh State Investment Board meeting, the Chief Minister said that the Suryalanka beach should be developed over a stretch of 15 kilometres.

He told officials that the Suryalanka beachfront should be a pollution-free area. Along with Suryalanka, the small islands near Sullurpeta can also be developed under beach tourism.

"We should develop island tourism on the lines of the Maldives. If we can build 25,000 rooms, we can attract tourists," he said.

Naidu wanted officials to focus on developing the Papikondalu-Polavaram region for tourism. Konaseema, Pulicat, and Visakhapatnam clusters will become excellent tourism clusters. There is also potential for tourism from Anantapur to Gandikota.

He said plans should be prepared to ensure that the Tourism Corporation generates an income of Rs 1,000 crore in the next 15 years.

The Andhra Pradesh State Investment Board meeting on Tuesday approved 14 projects involving investments to the tune of Rs 19,391 crore.

The meeting cleared the projects in the industries, tourism, food processing, and energy sectors, which are likely to create employment opportunities for 11,753 youth.

With this, the SIPB has so far approved investments worth Rs. 8,74,705 crore, which is expected to create employment opportunities for 8,35,675 people.

The Chief Minister praised the teamwork of officials in attracting huge investments during 2025 and advised them to work with the same team spirit during 2026 also.

He said the state's brand image, which was lost during the previous government's rule, has been restored, and large-scale investments have poured in.

He noted that Prominent companies like Google, Tata, Jindal, Birla, Adani, Reliance, TCS, and Cognizant are investing in Andhra Pradesh.

Ministers and officials must take responsibility to ensure that there is no room for even the slightest mistake, the Chief Minister said.

Referring to achievements in the power sector, the Chief Minister said that the state government decided to bear Rs 4500 crore true-up charges without passing on the burden to consumers and on the other hand, reduced power tariff by 13 paise per unit.

He said a target was set to purchase power at Rs 3.70 per unit by 2029. Several companies, including data centres, are coming forward to invest in Andhra Pradesh because of the progress in the power sector. He asked officials to adopt the speed of delivering governance.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good initiative, but I hope this is not just another announcement. The previous government also made big promises. The focus should be on execution and ensuring local communities benefit, not just big hotel chains. Also, reducing power tariff is a welcome step for common people.
A
Aditya G
Suryalanka beach is a hidden gem! Developing it over 15 km while keeping it pollution-free is the key. If done right, we won't need to go to Goa or abroad. The job creation numbers look impressive too. Hope they can actually deliver.
S
Sarah B
As someone who loves traveling across India, I'm excited. Pulicat lake and the islands near Sullurpeta have amazing potential for bird watching and eco-tourism. Hope the master plan includes preserving the delicate ecosystems there.
K
Karthik V
Rs 1000 crore income target in 15 years seems modest if they are truly aiming for Maldives-level tourism. The investments from big companies are promising, but tourism development needs a different approach - focus on infrastructure, connectivity, and marketing. Visakhapatnam can be a great hub.
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Meera T
While the vision is good, I have a respectful criticism. Comparing to Maldives is easy, but achieving it is hard. We need to learn from our own states like Kerala and Goa first. Also, what about the existing fishermen and locals in those island areas? Their livelihood must be protected and integrated into the plans.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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