Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu unveiled a pylon marking the launch of the Ramayapatnam port on 10 January 2019. He also oversaw the exchange of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board and the Asia Pulp & Paper Group.
The projects will be coming up in the Prakasam district of the state. The Asia Pulp & Paper Group will make an investment of Rs 24,000 crore (approx USD 3.5 billion) in its pulp and paper manufacturing unit at Ravuru in Gudluru mandal of Prakasam district. It is the single biggest FDI so far in the state, perhaps in the country in recent times.
The project with a capacity of five million tpa will be the largest unit of the Asia Pulp & Paper Group at a single location.
The business operations of the company are spread over 120 countries across the world. Its total production capacity is 18 million tpa.
The Asia Pulp & Paper Group’s unit in Prakasam district will come up in 2,471 acre of land and generate 4,000 direct and 12,000 indirect jobs. It will be completed in two phases.
Phase-I of the project is expected to be completed along with Ramayapatnam port, which will be constructed by the Andhra Pradesh government at an investment of Rs 5,000 crore. The company has been allocated two out of the eight berths of the port as captive berths.
The Asia Pulp & Paper Group’s management has been asked to commence operations in 18-20 months instead of the proposed 30 months.