Minister regrets treatment meted to Amara Raja Group

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday expressed regret over the treatment meted out to the Amara Raja Group during the previous YSRCP government, saying the State lost a landmark industrial investment because of the alleged harassment of one of its leading home-grown companies.

Reacting to the inauguration of Amara Raja's Customer Qualification Plant at the Divitipalli Giga Corridor in Telangana's Mahabubnagar district, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh owed an apology to company chairman Galla Jayadev and his family.

In a post on X, Lokesh said Amara Raja had built a global manufacturing brand, generated thousands of jobs and brought recognition to Andhra Pradesh. "An entrepreneur who chose to build in his home state deserved encouragement, not intimidation," he said.

Lokesh alleged that the previous YSRCP government adopted a vindictive approach towards the company because Jayadev was a former TDP MP. He claimed the government attempted to reclaim 253 acres of industrial land, issued closure notices to the company's battery plants and disrupted power and water supply.

According to the Minister, the hostile business environment forced Amara Raja to shift its Rs 9,500-crore lithium-ion Giga Corridor project to Telangana. He said the new facility highlighted the investment, jobs and tax revenue Andhra Pradesh had lost.

Lokesh said the NDA government was working to rebuild investor confidence and reaffirmed that Andhra Pradesh remained open for business, expressing hope that Amara Raja would undertake future expansion in its home state.