Andhra Pradesh’s experience over the past decade underlines a central lesson in governance, policy continuity is indispensable for sustained economic development, said Nara Lokesh, Minister for Education, and IT, while delivering the keynote address at the Public Policy Festival organized by the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics in Pune on Friday. Referring to the 2019-24 period, Lokesh said the cancellation of power purchase agreements (PPAs) by the previous government triggered uncertainty, prompting several companies to shift operations to neighboring states. “Investments thrive on predictability. Disruptions in policy create fear and stall growth,” he observed, stressing that voters must recognise the value of stable governance.

Drawing parallels with the late 1990s, Lokesh recalled that consecutive tenures of N. Chandrababu Naidu enabled landmark initiatives such as Hitec City, attracting global players like Microsoft and ISB and creating employment for lakhs of youth. “Continuity in leadership delivers compounding results,” he said. Lokesh highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s push for technology-driven governance through the Mana Mitra WhatsApp platform, which now delivers nearly 1,000 services across 36 departments. He announced that land records would soon be integrated into the platform using AI and blockchain, enabling title transfers within 24 hours with full traceability. “Land administration is one of India’s toughest challenges. We are solving it with technology,” he said.

The minister also detailed an AI-powered skills census pilot in Mangalagiri, which uses conversational AI to assess skill levels and match demand with supply. Andhra Pradesh will host the India AI Conference in March, he added. Explaining the renewed flow of investments from companies such as Google, TCS, Cognizant and ArcelorMittal, Lokesh cited three factors: proven leadership, speed of doing business, and what he termed the “double-engine” Naidu-Modi governance model. He said the ArcelorMittal steel plant project would break ground in February, following swift resolution of issues within 24 hours of discussions.

Lokesh also spoke about the State’s “LIFT” policy, under which land is offered at concessional rates, sometimes as low as 99 paise per acre, for projects that generate large-scale employment. “For IT, one job creates five indirect jobs. The economic multiplier is enormous,” he said, adding that courts had upheld such decisions in the public interest. “With a new generation of legislators and ministers, we are collectively committed to translating the Chief Minister’s vision into reality,” he said, asserting that stable policies and decisive execution are drawing sustained FDI to Andhra Pradesh and positioning the State as a long-term investment destination.