Knowledge Economic Zone to come up at Amaravati

Vijayawada: A first-of-its-kind Knowledge Economic Zone (KEZ) will be set up in Andhra Pradesh's new capital region Amaravati, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Tuesday.

The government would partner with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to set up the KEZ, the first phase of which would come up in an area of 10 acres, the Chief Minister said at a conference of District Collectors.

"Knowledge-driven economy is essential to achieve sustainable growth. You may take assistance of Harvard University and World Economic Forum in setting up the KEZ," he said.

Work on the first phase would start in June and will be completed by 2017. Chandrababu Naidu said that KEZ would be expanded to 100 acres by 2019.

The Chief Minister asked Collectors to prepare action plan to set up KEZs in each district. He also reviewed the progress of the Rs 333-crore AP Fibre Grid Project that aims to provide high-speed Internet, telephone and cable television connectivity to each household for a price of Rs 150 per month.

Officials informed that laying of optic fibre cable of 23,000 kms would be completed by June. About 130 lakh families in the state would benefit from the Fibre Grid Project. This project will usher in a new revolution in communications in the state.

Source: PTI