After the successful conduct of CII’s Partnership Summit,Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is now in  Dubai  to meet corporate giants there and woo investments. 

Naidu accompanied by a delegation comprising Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Major Industries Minister K Vidhyadhara Rao, Chief Minister's secretary (IT) RD Sudan and chief public relations officer S Vijaya Kumar left for Dubai on Saturday at 7.30 pm and returned on January 17. 

Meetings with Dubai Crown Prince Shiek Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Dubai economics department director general Mohammad Al Abbar and a public reception by the Non-Resident Telugu Association were some of the high-points of Naidu itinerary. 

Exclusive report on Chief Minister's visit to Middle East

CM's presentation at the OECD meeting in Dubai 
The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu made a presentation at the OECD meeting in Dubai. Mr. Naidu said that Andhra Pradesh would develop a unified portal for the citizens to access government information and services.Mr. Naidu said this is likely to become operational by 31st March,2001.

The Chief Minister said all the villages in the State would get Internet facility with community Internet access very soon.Mr. Naidu said the focus of IT initiatives in Andhra Pradesh are on e-government, distance learning, tele-medicine and e-commerce.Mr. Naidu said Andhra Pradesh will leverage IT to attain a position of leadership and excellence in the information age and transform itself into a knowledge society.

Explaining the advantages of IT,he said it would be cost effective, help in better accountability, better targeting of beneficiaries, addressing corruption and transparency through information access.Mr.Naidu also explained about the networking of the State from village to State headquarters through mandals, divisions and districts. He also explained about the SMART government, citizen data and integration of it with land records, the super computer installed at the Secretariat,the e-governance projects, Institutes of Excellence like ISB, IIIT and MSIT programmes.

(The Chief Minister Mr.N.Chandrababu Naidu presenting a memento to Mr.Mohd. Al Abbar, Director General, Department of Economic Development, Dubai on Tuesday)

The Chief Minister said 50 million jobs would come to India from the white-collar West through IT enabled services and India could boost its GDP by a trillion dollars in the next few years quoting from the Time magazine. He said Andhra Pradesh would use IT as a strategic tool for poverty reduction. He also explained about the increased bandwidth work being undertaken by Reliance and satellite facilities by KU Band, Insat 3B, MEASAT and also APSWAN. Mr. Naidu said IT contributed to 30% of US economic growth and the new economy is driven by knowledge.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) brings together 30 member countries in a structure which offers governments the opportunity to debate, share experiences and find solutions to common problems arising out of their national contexts.

The present session is on “Emerging Market Economy Forum on Electronic Commerce” organized by Dubai internet city. The Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, inaugurated the meet. Secretary General, OECD, Mr. Donald Johnson also spoke.

The Chief Minister’s presentation was well received. The Crown Prince and other leaders at the conference were impressed by Mr. Naidu’s presentation and congratulated him for giving a vivid picture of the emerging scenario. 



CM addresses Telugu Cultural Association in Dubai:

The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu asserted in Dubai on Monday that his main objective was to strive hard for the all-round development of Andhra Pradesh from the grass-root level and eradicate poverty for which he sought the whole-hearted cooperation and help of all the non-resident Andhras living abroad.

Addressing Rasamayi, a Telugu Cultural Association in Dubai, Mr. Naidu said that the very fact that a large number of Telugus were working in Information Technology all over the world reflects the progress that has been achieved in IT sector. Future belongs to the Information Technology, he added. With the spread of Internet connectivity, all countries of the world would be linked and consequently the people of the State could continue to work from their own villages, Mr. Naidu said. Top priority would be given to IT enabled services in future, he added.

Mr. Naidu detailed the initiatives taken by the State Government in the field of Education and emphasized that his aim was to turn the State into a knowledge society and Hyderabad as a knowledge hub. He said that he was going ahead with a specific vision to mould the State into Swarnandhrapradesh. He said that the economic empowerment of women, particularly through the Self-help groups like DWCRA in the State was yielding good results.

Mr. Naidu said that Dubai, which was a desert some years ago, has turned into a beautiful and attractive garden city, thanks to the relentless efforts of the people as well as the government. The Chief Minister said that The Crown Prince had acknowledged the significant contribution of NRIs in progress and prosperity of Dubai, the Chief Minister added.. The Chief Minister called upon the non-resident Indians living in Dubai to extend all cooperation for the prosperity of India. Commending the model progress of tourism sector in Dubai, Mr. Naidu said that he desired to develop tourism in Andhra Pradesh too, in a big way.

The Chief Minister said that the Crown Prince has asked him to extend full cooperation for the development of IT in Dubai and in turn has requested the Crown Prince to extend cooperation in development and progress of Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister disclosed that the Crown Prince has assured him that he would visit Hyderabad soon.

The Chief Minister said that the Crown Prince has expressed his readiness to arrange as many direct flights as needed between Hyderabad and Dubai, provided the Indian Government accorded permission for the flights. Mr. Naidu said he would pursue the matter with the Centre as soon as he returns to Hyderabad.

The Chief Minister assured the Andhras living in Dubai that the State Government would consider allotment of NRI seats in professional colleges of the State without any donation. However, the Chief Minister felt that as the World Telugu Federation has already been functioning, there is no need to form yet another organization for the same cause as desired by some members of the Dubai Telugu Association.The CM's speech was well received.

Dr. Shanker presided over the Rasamayi meet in AL NASR LEISURE LAND AUDITORIUM in Dubai which was attended by over 5000 Telugus.

Minister for Major Industries, Mr. K. Vidyadhra Rao; Minister for Finance, Mr. Y. Ramakrishnudu; Minister for MA&UD, Mr. N.Md. Farooq also spoke on the occasion and commended the significant role played by Telugus in Dubai.




Two MoU's signed between the Departments of Dubai and Andhra Pradesh 

Two Memoranda of Understanding were signed between the Departments of Dubai and Andhra Pradesh today in the presence of Chief Minister Mr.N.Chandrababu Naidu. An MoU was signed between Dubai Port International and Government of Andhra Pradesh for technical cooperation and development of Gangavaram Port and Special Economic Zone between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada Industrial Corridor.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has demonstrated a strong a pro-active commitment to develop Gangavaram Port and SEZ and DPI has undertaken to extend technical cooperation with their expertise that has earned DPI international recognition.

It has been agreed that on approval of the proposal, DPI and the Government of Andhra Pradesh will enter into negotiations relating to the feasibility and the terms and conditions of the DPI management constructing port operations, information technology and marine services.

This comprehensive understanding will set the stage for relations between the Emirate of Dubai and the State of Andhra Pradesh, expanding the investment relations between the two parties.

Upon signing the MoU, DPI will send their technical team to study the facilities available and the viability of the projects and submit a report at no extra cost to the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Another MoU was signed between the Department of Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai. Arabian Travel Market Organisers would organize similar activity in Hyderabad. Both the countries will organize Tourism related exhibitions in both the countries. Andhra Pradesh would also like to host an Annual Shopping Festival in Hyderabad on the lines of Dubai Shopping Festival with the advice and assistance of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai. Both the departments agreed to hold an annual food festival in Hyderabad and Dubai.

The Department of Tourism, A.P.Government would be interested to set up a typical heritage village showcasing Andhra Pradesh in particular and India in general if suitable land in Dubai is identified for the same. Annual Heritage Week will also be organized in both the countries. A Special Taskforce consisting of three members from each department would be formed jointly to workout the details.

Mrs.Chandana Khan, Secretary, Tourism and Mr.Khalid A Bin Sulayem, Director General, Dubai Tourism signed the MoU.



CM invites Dubai businessmen to invest in Andhra Pradesh:

The Chairman of the Court of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahayan on Sunday agreed to send a business delegation to Hyderabad within a week to explore the possibilities of investing in Medical & Health, Tourism, Hotel and Hospitality sectors in Andhra Pradesh.

This assurance was given to the Chief Minister Mr.N.Chandrababu Naidu when he invited the Dubai businessmen to invest in Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister who is on a 3-day visit to Dubai invited the Crown Prince to Hyderabad to personally take account of the investment opportunities in the State. His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahayan complimented the efforts of the Chief Minister Mr.N.Chandrababu Naidu in developing the State on all fronts particularly in the I.T sector. He sought the cooperation of Andhra Pradesh Government in the development of I.T in Dubai and evinced keen interest in establishing hotels and hospitals. 

The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh would be an ideal and profitable destination due to its strategic location and rewarding coastline for investments and the State Government would extend all the support and cooperation to the foreign investors. He said in the next four years, the international airport would become operational, and Hyderabad was being spruced up as one of the most charming cities in the country and would be developed as a top most I.T centre. 

Sea ports like Kakinada and Visakhapatnam would be very user-friendly to the foreign investors and the State had already reached a formidable status in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector. The Tourism industry was treading on the success path and Andhra Pradesh was developing tourist attraction centres. He sought foreign investments in travel & tourism, infrastructure, hotels and other sectors. 

Minister, Finance, Mr.Y.Ramakrishnudu; Minister, Major Industries, Mr.K.Vidyadhara Rao; Minister, MA&UD and Minorities Welfare, Mr.N.M.Farooq; Indian Ambassador in Dubai, Mr.K.C.Singh and other senior officials were present.

Earlier, Mr.Naidu was accorded a rousing reception at Dubai airport when he reached at 7.30 am IST. The delegation then went to Abu Dhabi which is 200 kms away from Dubai and participated in several programmes.

The Chief Minister met the businessmen at Mr.Singh's residence and urged them to invest in the infrastructure projects being taken up in the State. He also discussed various issues pertaining to Trade and Industry with Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rashid Abdullah Al Nuaimi. The Chief Minister also apprised a delegation led by Mr.Sheikh Hamad Bin Tahanoon, Chairman of General Industries Corporation about the investment opportunities, the incentives, concessions and investor-friendly policy of the government.


AP Govt and the Dubai Ports Authority signs an agreement to set up IT Institute:

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Government and the Dubai Ports Authority have signed an agreement to set up Information Technology Institute to train D.P.A. personnel. Mr. Obaid Saquer Busit, Chairman of the U.A.E, Customs Council and Director General of Dubai customs, and Mr. J. Satyanarayana, Secretary, IT&C, signed the agreement in Dubai on Sunday night. 

It was singed in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Makktoum, President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirate, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Indian Consul General Mr. Ashok Mukerjee.

According to the agreement, three members team of IT experts from A.P. will visit Dubai within two weeks to prepare a report on the modalities.

Similar agreement was signed on Monday by Government of A.P. and Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City. Mr. Mohammed Al Gergani, Director General, Dubai Technologies, Electronic, Commerce Media Free Zone Authority, Mr. Ahmed Byat, C.E.O. of Dubai Internet City, Mr. Sayeed Al Muntafiq, C.E.O., Dubai Media City and State Ministers Mr.Y. Ramakrishnudu, Mr. K.Vidyadhar Rao and Mr. N.Md. Farooq were also present. 




“A Flight into the Future” presentation made by CM:

HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister Mr N Chandrababu Naidu said that he had no ambition of becoming the Prime Minister of India and that his visit was aimed to develop Andhra Pradesh with innovative schemes. He said he would be very happy if the programmes and policies introduced by him are replicated and made use of by other States in the country.

The Chief Minister answered the queries posed by several personnel during the meeting of Indian Business/Professional Group. 

The Presentation “A Flight into the Future” was the main attraction for the 600-strong audience. Reacting to a question on the type of steps that should be initiated for a change in the attitude of Indian bureaucracy which require training in the areas like ethics, morals, spiritual values etc., the Chief Minister replied that “change” is required not only among bureaucrats but also among the politicians and persons of all walks of life. He said that Dr. MCR HRD Institute has been imparting training to all categories of employees and the politicians. The “change” is a continuous process, which requires time, the Chief Minister added.

To a question whether Mr Naidu would float a “vision” for the entire country on the same lines as he floated a Vision 2020 for Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister replied that the Union Government has also prepared a Plan 2020 and the Union Planning ministry have been doing exercises on it. 

A delegate opined that India needs many more persons like Mr. Naidu and asked whether a team would be developed, the Chief Minister replied that he was giving only guidelines and several persons have been achieving wonders in this direction and a significant example was the recent “Partnership Summit” at Hyderabad. 

Answering to another question about the “tie-up” with UAE on IT, Mr Naidu disclosed that discussions were on with the Abu Dhabi and Dubai governments in this regard.

The presentation made by the CM was well received. 

Naidu meets the Crown Prince General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum:

HYDERABAD: General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence, UAE said that a team from Dubai would visit Andhra Pradesh in the next one week to study the situation here and feasibility for setting up of projects and assured that within three months, concrete proposals would be considered setting up of the ventures in Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister Mr.N.Chandrababu Naidu met the Crown Prince General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and also Chairman, Emirates Airlines, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Sayed Al Maktoum today afternoon at Hotel Holiday Inn in Dubai. 

In the deliberations, the Chief Minister explained about the comprehensive growth during the last five years in Andhra Pradesh, especially in Industries, Tourism, I.T and Infrastructure sectors. The Chief Minister urged the dignitaries to visit Andhra Pradesh and have a first hand account of progress being achieved. He said that there was congenial atmosphere now to set up new projects with huge investments. The Crown Prince of Dubai commended the Chief Minister Mr.Naidu for his visionary approach and his unique Vision 2020 plan. He said that he had heard about the most innovative schemes being initiated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for the all-round development of the State. The Crown Prince appreciated Mr.Naidu and his leadership qualities. 

Mr.Naidu urged the Chairman, Emirates Airlines to start direct flights from Hyderabad to Dubai. 

Minister for Major Industries, Mr.K.Vidyadhara Rao; Minister for Finance, Mr.Y.Ramakrishnudu; Minister for MA&UD and Minorities Welfare, Mr.N.M.Farooq participated. 

Round up of CM's trip to the Far East 
(October 18th-26th)

- January '2001

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