GRACIOUS WELCOME: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy greeting Vietnam Ambassador Vu Quang Diem during a meeting in Hyderabad on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has expressed confidence that the State is all set to double its performance in exports that are presently contributing to 4 per cent of the country's total exports.

The Government had decided to lay emphasis on increasing exports from highly labour-intensive manufacturing sectors like gems and jewellery and textiles and apparels, he said while delivering the inaugural address at `Exim Excellence-2006,' a two-day conference on exports and imports, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Thursday.

Zooming IT exports

Though the State showed impressive performance in IT exports whose turnover is Rs. 12,521 crores, there was a need to diversify the basket of exports.

Explaining about the creation of special economic zones (SEZs), he said in addition to SEZs in IT and pharma, agri export zones in specialised areas like mangoes, vegetables and chilli were being set up with thrust on production and quality enhancement and modernisation of post harvest operations.

This would require quality infrastructure and skilled manpower for which the Government was focusing on increased industry-university collaboration, besides creating infrastructural facilities.

In addition, efforts were being made to see promoters of the units made use of the provisions under the Exim policy that would help provide the much-needed employment for all.

In his address, Vietnam's Ambassador to India Vu Quang Diem said there was great potential to further developing the economic relations between India and Vietnam.

Andhra Pradesh-CII chairman G. Vivekanand welcomed participants.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail