The Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers) held a constructive breakfast meeting today with Sri Lanka Dinakar Garu, Chairman of the Twenty Point Programme, Government of Andhra Pradesh, to discuss critical issues impacting industries, particularly the pharmaceutical and MSME sectors.

The AP Chambers delegation included:

• Dr. G. Sambasiva Rao Garu
• Sri O. Naresh Kumar
• Sri K.V.S.A. Verma, Vice President
• Smt. Alla Leela Rani, Vice Chairperson
• Dr. S. Panduranga Prasad, Chairman – State MSME Committee & President, VASSIWA
• Sri P.V. Ram Prasad, Secretary, VASSIWA
• Sri P. Rambhadra Raju, EC Member, VASSIWA
• Sri D.S. Verma, Senior Member

During the meeting, the delegation submitted a formal representation highlighting major concerns and proposed solutions across several policy and industrial fronts:

Key Issues Discussed:

1. Industry Representation in Accident Taskforces:
   Request for industry participation in inspection taskforces for industrial accidents to ensure practical insight and accountability.
2. Atchutapuram ETP Operations:
   Proposal for an industry-led operational model of the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), currently under APIIC's scope, to enhance efficiency and environmental compliance.
3. Academia-Industry Consortium & Skill Development:
   Call for creating a structured partnership between academic institutions and industry, along with skill development centres tailored to industrial needs.
4. Revised Property Taxation Model:
   Suggestion to reform the industrial property taxation structure—moving away from capital value to a more practical basis such as land use, industry type, and turnover.
5. Legacy VAT Disputes:
   A settlement mechanism was proposed for long-pending VAT issues that arose during the transition to GST, easing the compliance burden on MSMEs.
6. High Power Charges:
   Industries expressed concern over the unjustifiably high power tariffs, seeking regulatory intervention.
7. Autonagar Apparel Park Development:
   Discussion on resolving development bottlenecks and attracting infrastructure investments.
8. Land Acquisition Cost in Term Loans:
   Industries requested that land costs be included in term loans, with a repayment window of up to seven years, to make projects more financially viable.
9. Pharmaceutical Licensing Reforms:
   Highlighting the pharma hub in Visakhapatnam, the delegation proposed relocating the Drug Licensing Authority to Vizag and suggested digitization of the approval process, following the Gujarat model.

 

Meeting Outcome:

Sri Lanka Dinakar garu appreciated the constructive suggestions and assured that the concerns would be brought to the attention of relevant departments and policy-making forums. The dialogue marked a positive step toward government-industry collaboration for enabling a more responsive and business-friendly environment in Andhra Pradesh.