[Jai]

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International science city to come up in Anantapur dist

Friday January 26 2007 11:41 IST

HYDERABAD: The hinterland of the most backward Anantapur district will witness a sea-change within a decade with a consortium of high profile companies from Australia and Singapore announcing its plans to establish Odyssey Science City.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the State Government and the consortia which include Macquarie Bank and Springfield Land Corporation of Australia and Jurang International group and Semb Corp of Singapore in the presence of Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy here on Thursday.

The Odyssey Science City intended to develop the Science City as a National center for information technology & supercomputing, biotechnology, advanced research and development, artificial intelligence, industrial robotics, high tech manufacturing industries, export oriented centers, media and tele-communication, tourism and entertainment, education, fine arts, medical and health care and finance & banking.

The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the project is expected to be to the tune of US $ 25 billion and would provide a platform for 500 companies to establish their branches in every field of manufacturing, travel, commerce, financial services, retailing transportation etc.

The project, which would come up on 65,000 acres in O D Cheruvu and Amadagur mandals of Anantapur district, is estimated to provide direct employment to about 15 lakh and indirect jobs to another 10 lakh people.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajasekhara Reddy assured the developers all assistance from the State Government besides facilitating clearances from the Centre. “We are all excited about the project, that too in an area which is perennially drought prone and most backward in the State,” he said.

According to the officials of the Industries department, the Government would hand-over 25,000 acres in the first phase and the balance land in second phase. The Government would also reserve a 10 km of green field around OSC and a 200 m corridor on each side of the archery of the road, which are being built.

The developers require 10 to 12 tmcft water for the construction of the project in the first year which will subsequently be increased from second year onwards. The developers will also set up a power project for captive generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.

The promoters have to finance, design and distribute telecommunications in the project area and the State Government will take up with the Centre the extension of broad gauge railway lines as required. The State Government will also request the Centre to extent all concessions and exemptions and duties that may be levied for import of plant machinery for the project. Jurong India CEO Rao Munukutla, Springfield Land Corporation managing director Bob Sharpless, Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Queensland Government of Australia David Belham and others spoke.

* The project will come up on 65,000 acres in OD Cheruvu and Amadagur mandals of Anantapur district * FDI is expected to be to the tune of $ 25 billion and will provide a platform for 500 companies
* Estimated to provide direct employment to about 15 lakh and indirect jobs to another 10 lakh people.

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Odyssey Science City

A state-of-the-art integrated science city will come up in Andhra Pradesh's drought-prone Anantapur district with an investment of $25 billion over 10 years by a consortium of four Australian and Singaporean companies.

The consortium will invest about $3 billion in the next three years to build the ultra-modern integrated township on 10,000 acres.The Odyssey Science City would come up on 65,000 acres of land between Odicheruvu and Ammadiguda in Anantapur, about 400 km from here. He said proximity to the Karnataka capital Bangalore, about 200 km away, was one reason for setting up the project in Anantapur district...
Source: The Times of India

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1-lakh cr. Science City for Anantapur

HYDERABAD: A massive, state-of-the-art integrated ` Odyssey Science City' is proposed to be established in drought-prone Anantapur district with an investment of $ 25 billion (Rs. 1.1 lakh crores) over the next 10 years by a consortium of four Australia and Singapore-based companies.

The proposal for setting up the mega venture was signed by Additional Secretary (Industries) K. R. K. Reddy on behalf of the State Government and Bob Sharpless, Managing Director, Springfield Land Corporation, Australia, in the presence Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy here on Thursday. It would be coming up between Odicheruvu and Ammadiguda in Anantapur, a few hours' drive from Bangalore.

YSR promises support r. Rajasekhara Reddy said: " We are excited about the announcement of Odyssey Science City in an area that has been traditionally drought-prone and backward." He assured full Government support for the project.

The consortium consists of Springfield Land Corporation, Macquarie Bank, Australia and Juron International Group, and Semb Corp Industries, both from Singapore...

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$25 bn Andhra science city to challenge Bangalore

India's Silicon Valley, groaning under infrastructural problems, should brace up for stiff competition. A consortium of four Australia and Singapore-based companies are planning to set up a state-of-the-art integrated science city, at Odicheruvu in Andhra Pradesh, barely 200 km, a three-hour-drive, from Bangalore to attract high technology industries with unprecedented facilities. The Odyssey Science City, fashioned on the lines of Australia's Greater Springfield, would come up in an area of 65,000 acres spread over two revenue territories in Anantapur district. It will provide direct employment to 15 lakh people and indirect employment to another 10 lakh. The first three years alone will see an investment of $3 billion.

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