Naidu, Sitharaman launch Rayalaseema horticulture hub; Anant Ambani pledges ₹1 lakh crore for biogas
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday laid the foundation for a ₹1 lakh-crore global horticulture hub at Madanapalle. The initiative aims to transform the drought-prone Rayalaseema region by expanding horticulture cultivation and establishing modern agricultural infrastructure across ten districts including Anantapur, Chittoor, Kurnool, and Tirupati.
The Horticulture Hub will be implemented in three phases with the TDP-led NDA government contributing ₹40,352 crore, while efforts will be made to mobilise ₹60,000 crore from the private sector. Development works will be undertaken through 201 clusters across 303 mandals and 5,869 villages. The government plans to expand the existing horticulture cultivation area of 8.41 lakh hectares by another six lakh hectares, taking the total to 14.41 lakh hectares, with production expected to increase from 222 lakh metric tonne to 435 lakh metric tonne.
The project will directly benefit 9.6 lakh farmers through enhanced irrigation, processing, and export support infrastructure. Alongside this, the foundation stone for the Indian School of Agriculture (ISA), modelled on the Indian School of Business, was also laid. The ISA will focus on advancing agricultural development through modern technology, research, and innovation. Reliance Industries Limited has committed to work with the state government on these initiatives.
