Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh meets FM Sitharaman, seeks support for state projects

New Delhi [India], August 18 : Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and sought cooperation for new development projects in the state.
He expressed gratitude for the financial assistance provided after the NDA government took charge and briefed her on the progress of ongoing works.
https://x.com/naralokesh/status/1957413492002365705
In a post on X, Lokesh wrote, "I met with the Union Finance Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, in New Delhi, with courtesy. I expressed gratitude for the generous financial assistance provided after the coalition government came to power in the state. I explained the progress of development works in the state. On this occasion, I requested Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman to extend cooperation for new projects in AP. @nsitharaman."
Lokesh later joined Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and a delegation of state lawmakers in a meeting with Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at Parliament House.
https://x.com/HardeepSPuri/status/1957414842895114521
In a post on X, Puri wrote, "Very happy to meet the General Secretary of TDP and Minister in Andhra Pradesh govt Sh @naralokesh Garu, my cabinet colleague Sh Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu @RamMNK Garu, and a delegation of lawmakers from Andhra Pradesh in my office in the Parliament today. We discussed cooperation and coordination between @PetroleumMin
and the state government in the energy sector."
Nara Lokesh met with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.
The meeting was held to push for fast-track approvals to major highway expansions, urban mobility projects, including the Kuppam-Bengaluru-Chennai industrial corridor.
The discussions focused on building seamless connectivity, city decongestion, and infrastructure that can accelerate Andhra Pradesh's growth momentum.
A major highlight of the meeting was the discussion on the Kuppam-Hosur-Bengaluru greenfield highway, which would be 56km long and requires an investment of Rs 3,000 crore. Minister Lokesh urged the fast-track approval of the project and described it as a game-changer for regional growth, as stated in the release.
Furthermore, the Minister emphasised the need for early approval and direct linkage to the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway (NE-7).
According to the release, the HRD Minister also underlined revival efforts in the Kuppam Area Development Authority (KADA) region, spanning 1,051 sq km, including plans for a major industrial park to boost investment and employment.
He further urged the immediate widening of NH-65 (Kanuru-Machilipatnam, 59.8km).
Minister Lokesh also sought support to commence the project, pointing out that the DPR is already complete and in-principle approval has been granted. He stressed that this highway will play a crucial role in seamless Amaravati-Hyderabad connectivity while opening up additional port linkages.