Andhra cabinet approves policy to boost drone manufacturing
The policy is targeting establishment of a minimum of 100 drone companies in drone manufacturing, research and development, skilling and training and service providers, says minister K Parthasarathy
The Andhra Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday approved a policy to promote drone manufacturing and services sector in the state by attracting investments worth over ₹1,000 crore in the sector that would generate revenue of ₹3,000 crore from drones and its associated ecosystem.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, state information and public relations minister K Parthasarathy said that the Andhra Pradesh Drone Policy, which would be in force for the next five years, was targeting establishment of a minimum of 100 drone companies in drone manufacturing, research and development, skilling and training and service providers.
“Apart from generating employment of thousands of people in this sector, the government also wants to encourage drone exports valued at ₹1,000 crore in the next five years,” he said, adding that the government had announced an allocation of ₹500 crore to support the implementation of this drone policy throughout the policy period.
The policy also aims at establishing 20 drone remote pilot training organisations, 50 centres of excellence at engineering colleges, industrial training institutes and polytechnic institutions. “The policy was provisioned to train 25,000 drone pilots, creating 40,000 jobs in the sector,” he said.
The government has already announced a “Drone City” on 300 acres of land at Orvakal in Kurnool district, first-of-its-kind in the Indian territory. The proposed “Drone City” will act as a drone ecosystem hub with common user facilities for research and development, manufacturing and testing of drone technology.
The minister said that the cabinet approved the draft Land Grabbing Prohibition Bill-2024, amendment to GST Act-2024 and amendment to the Andhra Pradesh Excise Act, which would be introduced in the upcoming assembly session scheduled to be held from November 11.
The cabinet also decided to establish Pithapuram Area Development Authority (PADA) for a comprehensive development of Pithapuram assembly constituency, represented by deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan.
The cabinet decided to expand the area of Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) of Amaravati to 83,522 square kilometres by bringing 154 villages from Palnadu and Bapatla urban development authorities back into the purview of Amaravati.
The cabinet also approved the decision to increase the retirement age of judicial officers to 61, with effect from November 1.