PSUs to set up new units across Andhra

HYDERABAD: Public sector companies including Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will set up their new units in Andhra Pradesh with investments amounting to more than Rs 8,500 crore. While the land allotments to some projects are in the final stages, some PSUs are yet to take a final decision on their locations.In what could be a major boost for the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), all the public sector units (PSUs) held talks with the Corporation over their requirements for establishing these major projects. The BDL will establish its units at six places across the state including two locations in Hyderabad with an investment of Rs 3,000 crore, while the BEL is expected to invest about Rs 1,500 crore. The BDL has teamed up with the BHEL for a joint venture project to develop an industrial park near the Fab City project in an area of 90 acres. The proposals are under consideration with the APIIC. Further, the land for setting up the Rs 4,000 crore project of HAL is yet to identified.Explaining the achievements of the APIIC for the year 2010-11 here on Thursday, APIIC managing director BR Meena said that the corporation has given land to about 16 companies including Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) for launching their new projects in the state. Unlike private companies which are concentrated near major cities like Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, all the projects by these public sector units are spread across the state. “The corporation allotted about 4,830 acre land for setting up 681 units of different companies during 2010-11 with a projected investment of `19,754 crore and employment potential of 72,961 persons,” he said.Of the 75 special economic zones (SEZs) in the state, 27 are operational and investments amounting to `14,267 crore have been realised during 2010-11 as against the proposed investments of about `1.05 lakh crore. In all, employment was generated for 1.4 lakh persons against the proposed employment potential of 15 lakh persons in these SEZs.