*TDP coalition taking credit for YSRCP-era projects while ignoring bulk drug park*

Visakhapatnam, March 24: Former Minister Gudivada Amarnath stated that the coalition government is indulging in blatant credit appropriation while failing to deliver on key industrial projects, questioning why the Bulk Drug Park in Nakkapalli has been ignored even as the government claims credit for the ArcelorMittal steel plant. Speaking to the media in Visakhapatnam, he made it clear that the foundation for the ArcelorMittal project was laid during the YSRCP government in 2022, when former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy signed an MoU with Aditya Mittal at Davos and pushed for the establishment of a steel plant in Andhra Pradesh. He said land options including Kakinada, Mulapeta port, and Nakkapalli were offered, and the company finalized Nakkapalli before the 2024 elections, with the process continuing thereafter.

Amarnath said the coalition government is now falsely projecting this investment as its own achievement while deliberately neglecting projects initiated earlier. He pointed out that the Bulk Drug Park at Nakkapalli, which was secured after intense competition with multiple states and backed by central funding, has been stalled due to the current government’s inaction, unnecessary land acquisition controversies, and deliberate misinformation campaigns during elections. He said the same government that is celebrating the steel plant is responsible for derailing the Bulk Drug Park project that could have generated significant employment and industrial growth.

He also questioned the government’s silence on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, stating that within 20 months of coming to power, nearly 10,000 jobs have been lost through VRS and contract terminations, exposing the lack of commitment toward protecting public sector industries. He challenged the government to release a white paper on investments and employment, pointing out that promises of 20 lakh jobs and unemployment allowance remain unfulfilled.

Amarnath further stated that industries are leaving the state due to harassment by those in power, citing examples such as Coca-Cola exiting after returning land, along with investments worth Rs.5,600 crore being withdrawn in the last 20 months. He highlighted that companies like UltraTech, L&T, and Bharathi Cements are facing operational issues, while even new investments are being obstructed at the local level. He questioned why Jindal Steel’s proposed project in Kadapa was driven away and said the government is resorting to diversionary politics instead of answering these failures.

He also reminded that projects like Inorbit Mall in Visakhapatnam were initiated during the YSRCP tenure and are now being completed, demonstrating the previous government’s commitment to development, while accusing the current government of relying on false propaganda instead of delivering results. He demanded that the government immediately focus on creating jobs for unemployed youth or provide unemployment allowance as promised, instead of misleading the public with fabricated claims.