Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the country is aiming to produce five million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 as part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
After virtually laying the foundation stone and launching projects worth over Rs.2 lakh crore here, Modi said two green hydrogen hubs will be set up in the country out of which one will come up in Visakhapatnam.
“The country launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023. Our aim is to make five million metric tonnes of green hydrogen production (annually) by 2030. As a first step, two green hydrogen hubs will be set up, out of which one is in Visakhapatnam,” he said.
The Prime Minister laid foundation for green energy projects at Pudimadaka entailing investment of Rs.1,85,000 crore, bulk drug park at Nakkapalli with an investment of Rs.1,876 crore, Krishnapatnam Industrial Hub with Rs.1,518 crore and several other road, rail, infrastructure projects.
“By laying the foundation and launching projects worth Rs.2 lakh crore, Andhra Pradesh has reached a new height of development,”' Modi said.
Paying his respects to Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Simhachalam, Modi said it was after a gap of 60 years that a party was elected for the third time in a row in the country and it was his first programme in Andhra Pradesh after the formation of the National Democratic Alliance government.
Moved by the praises showered on him by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Modi thanked the people for a grand welcome given to him during the roadshow prior to the event. The Prime Minister expressed confidence in achieving all the goals mentioned by Naidu in his speech with the support of the people of Andhra Pradesh and India.
“Andhra Pradesh is a state of possibilities and opportunities,” declared Modi. He said when these possibilities are realised, Andhra Pradesh will develop, and India will become a developed nation.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the development of Andhra Pradesh was his vision and serving the people of Andhra Pradesh, a commitment.
Modi highlighted that Andhra Pradesh had set a target to become a $2.5 trillion economy by 2047 and to realise this vision, the Chandrababu Naidu government had initiated the ‘Swarna Andhra@2047’ initiative.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the Centre was working shoulder-to-shoulder with the Andhra Pradesh government to achieve every goal and added that the Centre was giving special priority to Andhra Pradesh in projects worth lakhs of crores.
Highlighting that Andhra Pradesh, due to its innovative nature, is a significant hub for IT and technology, the Prime Minister remarked: “It is now time for Andhra Pradesh to become a centre for futuristic technologies”.
Emphasising the importance of leading in emerging technologies, such as green hydrogen, Modi said that Visakhapatnam will be among the few cities globally with large-scale green hydrogen production facilities, which will create numerous job opportunities and develop a manufacturing ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh.
The Prime Minister said the bulk drug park project in Nakkapalli was one of the three such parks being established in the country. He emphasised that this park will provide excellent infrastructure for manufacturing and research, boosting investor enthusiasm and confidence while benefiting local pharma companies.
Modi also noted that the Central government views urbanisation as an opportunity and aims to make Andhra Pradesh an example of new-age urbanisation. He added that to realise this vision, the foundation stone for the Krishnapatnam Industrial Area, also known as Kris City, was laid.
He said this smart city will be part of the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, attracting thousands of crores in investment and creating millions of industrial jobs in Andhra Pradesh.
Remarking that Andhra Pradesh was already benefiting from Sri City as a manufacturing hub, Modi said the aim is for Andhra Pradesh to be among the top states in the country in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
The Prime Minister noted that the foundation stone for the South Coast Railway Zone headquarters was laid in Visakhapatnam, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the people.
He said the establishment of the South Coast Railway Zone headquarters in Visakhapatnam will expand agricultural and trade activities in the region, and provide new opportunities for tourism and the local economy.
Speaking about the inauguration and foundation-laying ceremony of connectivity projects worth thousands of crores, Modi said that Andhra Pradesh was among the states with 100 per cent railway electrification and more than 70 railway stations are being developed under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
Noting that Andhra Pradesh’s coast in general and Visakhapatnam in particular have been gateways for India’s trade for centuries and continue to hold significant importance, the Prime Minister emphasised the promotion of the blue economy to fully utilise maritime opportunities.
