The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) promised to help in improving the skill ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh during the negotiations held by Minister for Industries Mekapati Goutham Reddy with their top executives in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Mr. Goutham Reddy also called on Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur, and sought the Central government’s support for development projects in the State.

The public sector behemoths agreed, in principle, to set up Centres of Excellence (CoE) and support the State government’s skill development initiatives through various other means in their areas of expertise.

During separate interactions with SAIL Chairman Anil Kumar Chaudary, NTPC CMD Gurudeep Singh, and ITDC CMD Kamala Vardhana Rao, the Minister discussed ways in which A.P. could realise the potential of its workforce as it targeted to emerge as a leader in the industrial and infrastructure sectors.

EoDB rankings

He pointed out that the No.1 position A.P. secured in the Ease-of-Doing Business (EoDB) rankings in 2019 reflected Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s vision for all-round development of the State with due focus on the industrial sector, where skills play a crucial role.

The Central PSUs should contribute to skills’ enhancement in A.P. by spending a portion of the funds under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme on programmes being conducted by the State government, the Minister requested.

He suggested to the NTPC CMD and SAIL Chairman to set up CoE in power and metal management areas at Anakapalli in Visakhapatnam district and Kadapa (where an integrated steel plant is being established) respectively. AP State Skill Development Corporation MD A. Srikanth accompanied the Minister.

Mr. Goutham Reddy is scheduled to meet Minister for Railways and Industries & Commerce Piyush Goyal and Minister of Shipping and Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday.