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• Nara Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh plans to develop an integrated township in Amaravati inspired by Singapore’s Punggol district as part of the proposed Amaravati Economic Region.
• During meetings in Singapore, the state government sought support for township development, digital governance initiatives and trade connectivity projects under an existing bilateral MoU.
• The government is also planning to position Andhra Pradesh as a global MICE destination through convention infrastructure projects in Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati.
• Andhra Pradesh has invited proposals for development of the Amaravati Economic Region and is seeking World Bank support for implementation of the township project.
• The discussions additionally covered blockchain-enabled trade corridors, port-led industrialisation and export connectivity for sectors including agriculture, seafood, pharmaceuticals and minerals.
Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT and Electronics, said the state government is planning to develop an integrated township in Amaravati modelled on Singapore’s Punggol district, as part of broader efforts to build the proposed Amaravati Economic Region and expand urban infrastructure in the state capital region. Advertisement
Lokesh made the remarks during meetings held in Singapore earlier this week with representatives of the Joint Implementation Steering Committee under Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. According to an official statement, the proposed township is intended to serve as a benchmark urban development project for both Andhra Pradesh and the country.
The minister stated that the state government intends to develop the Amaravati Economic Region with Singapore’s support and noted that Amaravati now has national legal recognition as the capital of Andhra Pradesh, which, according to him, would strengthen investor confidence in the region.
He urged the Joint Implementation Working Committee to accelerate procedures related to the integrated township project and sought support from the World Bank for implementation. Lokesh also said Andhra Pradesh had already issued notifications inviting Requests for Proposals from interested partners for the development of the Amaravati Economic Region.
The minister requested Singaporean authorities to explore opportunities for improving trade connectivity between Andhra Pradesh and Southeast Asian and East Asian markets through Singapore. Discussions also covered collaboration on digital governance systems, including expansion of Real Time Governance initiatives in Andhra Pradesh.
The proposed urban development strategy forms part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Andhra Pradesh and Singapore in the past year covering integrated township development, digital transformation and the Amaravati Economic Region.
During the visit, Lokesh also held discussions with representatives of the Commodities Intelligence Centre regarding trade connectivity for seafood, agriculture, pharmaceutical and mineral exports. He proposed a pilot digital trade corridor between Singapore and either Visakhapatnam or Krishnapatnam ports using blockchain-enabled paperless trade systems and cargo transparency platforms.
According to the minister, Andhra Pradesh is focusing on port-led industrialisation to improve global exports and is seeking to position itself as a digitally integrated logistics and trade hub linked to Asian commodity markets. He added that the state accounts for nearly 40–45% of India’s chilli exports and remains the country’s largest aquaculture-producing state.
Lokesh also visited Suntec City to study Singapore’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) ecosystem and urban event infrastructure. He said Andhra Pradesh is drafting a dedicated MICE policy and establishing specialised bureaus in Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati to provide single-window clearances for international event organisers.
The minister stated that hotel room inventory in Andhra Pradesh is expected to increase four-fold to around 20,000 rooms over the next five years. He added that four convention centres have already been approved in Amaravati, while a large MICE centre is planned in Visakhapatnam in partnership with the India Trade Promotion Organisation.
Anandan Karunakaran, director at DP Urban Architect, stated during discussions that Singapore is planning an additional major MICE hub beyond existing facilities such as Marina Bay Sands and Suntec City, while continuing to focus on sustainability standards within the tourism and events sector.
Source - PTI
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