Minister for IT and Panchayat Raj N. Lokesh met a host of dignitaries, including Gopinath Pillai, Ambassador-at-Large for the Government of Singapore and special envoy for Andhra Pradesh, on day one of his three-day visit to Singapore on Wednesday.
Mr. Lokesh is in Singapore mainly to receive the S.R. Nathan Fellowship from the Singapore government.
Mr. Lokesh and Mr. Pillai discussed about the construction of the capital city, Amaravati, and creation of an ecosystem for the development of start-ups and other joint initiatives of the governments of A.P. and Singapore.
Mr. Lokesh sought the cooperation of the Singapore government in the manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, skill upgrading and construction sectors. He also sought the support of angel investors for the all-round development of the State.
Later, Mr. Lokesh had an interaction with Singapore Wildlife Reserve (SWR) CEO Mike Bar, who said the Singapore zoo was one of the world’s best, drawing 1.70 million visitors every year. It was home to over 300 species.
Mr. Lokesh said the State government had plans to develop a similar facility and looked up to the SWR for its guidance and support.
Mr. Lokesh then went around Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, which was redeveloped as part of the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme. This was followed by a meeting with a delegation of the Centre for Liveable Cities.
‘Key role for TDP’
In a meeting with the NRI-TDP, Mr. Lokesh expressed the confidence that the TDP would play a key role at the national level after the 2019 elections. Chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was striving to win all the Parliament seats, he observed.
A.P Non-Resident Telugu Society CEO Ravi Vemuri was among others present.