Lokesh Plans Three Knowledge Cities in AP

Education and IT minister Nara Lokesh announced that Andhra Pradesh will have three Knowledge Cities in Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati. Time and again, Lokesh has been stressing on reforms in the education sector, to position AP a cut above the rest.

The three cities have been chosen strategically to ensure uniform progress in all the three regions of the state – Amaravati in Andhra, Visakhapatnam in North Andhra and Tirupati in Rayalaseema. Tirupati already has several universities and the proposed Knowledge City would give it a major boost in emerging as a Knowledge Hub.

Similarly, Amaravati and Visakhapatnam also gained reputation as educational centres with the presence of AIIMS, KLU, Andhra University, etc.

In tune with his words, Lokesh said that an AI University, a National Centre for AI and five world-class multidisciplinary universities for education and research would come up in these places, in alignment with the Swarnandhra – 2047 goals.

He made the announcement while speaking at a conference in Davos. He informed the delegates at the WEF in Davos that Andhra Pradesh was using AI to minimize the power purchase costs and also optimize the grid management. Lokesh and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu have been working relentlessly to develop the backward regions in the state, by developing the IT and pharma sectors in Visakhapatnam. Furthering this initiative, Lokesh sought investments to transform Vizag as an AI and Tech hub.

Lokesh met Air India MD and CEO Campbell Wilson in Davos on Wednesday and discussed the development of aviation sector in AP. Claiming that the AP airports handled 5.251 million passengers, Lokesh proposed establishing a Regional Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub at Visakhapatnam airport. He also suggested setting up an international airport in the CRDA limits, in 3000-5000 acres, similar to that in Dubai.

Earlier in the day, Lokesh also met Wipro executive chairman Rishad Premji, elder son of former chairman of Wipro Azim Premji, and briefed him about the development of IT in Andhra Pradesh – in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati specially. Rishad Premji revealed that Wipro was planning to invest Rs 8000 crore in next five years, under its GE Healthcare Division, in India.

Lokesh met Hitachi India MD Bharat Kaushal and urged him to help in implementing advanced technologies of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems for efficient power transmission in the state. Kaushal announced the establishment of multi-skill development centres in Tirupati, Vijayawada and Kakinada, in collaboration with Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd (JCH-IN).