Bhogapuram (AP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated and dedicated the ₹5,600-crore Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, about 50 km from Visakhapatnam, to the nation. He also laid the foundation stone for development projects worth more than ₹17,900 crore in Andhra PradeshAddressing a public meeting after inaugurating the greenfield airport, Modi said naming the new greenfield airport after freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju reflects the NDA government’s commitment to honouring national icons rather than members of “a single family” — an apparent swipe at the Congress.“In the past, airports were named after members of a single family. We have changed that tradition,” Modi said, citing airports named after Maharishi Valmiki in Ayodhya and Sant Ravidas in Punjab. “Every citizen of Andhra Pradesh, every Indian and every international traveller who uses this airport will draw inspiration from the life and sacrifices of Alluri Sitarama Raju.”‘Vizag Economic Region will be Asia’s leading economic hub’Describing Andhra Pradesh as a state with the potential to become a “growth engine of a developed India”, the Prime Minister said the Centre had accelerated investments across sectors. “During my last three visits alone, projects worth nearly ₹2 lakh crore have either been launched or inaugurated in the state. We are developing the Visakhapatnam Economic Region (VER) into one of India’s major industrial centres with the goal of making it a leading economic hub in Asia,” he added.He said the Centre is building a comprehensive industrial ecosystem in the state, spanning semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data centres, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. Referring to Google’s proposed $15-billion AI and cloud infrastructure campus in Visakhapatnam, he said Andhra Pradesh was increasingly attracting global technology investments that would generate employment and benefit the country’s youth.He also highlighted the Centre’s support for a bulk drug and pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem at Nakkapalli, adding that investments exceeding ₹5 lakh crore had been committed to green energy projects in the state’s Rayalaseema region.Calling the day “historic”, the PM lauded the performance of over 13,000 tribal women and girls who set a world record by performing the traditional Dhimsa dance. “On one hand, an airport that reaches for the skies has been built; on the other, our tribal sisters have created a world record, showcasing India’s rich tribal heritage,” he said.Highlighting the growth of India’s aviation sector, Modi said the number of operational airports in the country has increased from 74 in 2014 to 166. He also announced the launch of the second phase of the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, under which investments of ₹29,000 crore are planned, and said the government was expanding its spoke airport model to improve international connectivity beyond major metropolitan centres.PM lays foundation for South India’s first semiconductor manufacturing unitPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday virtually laid the foundation stone and unveiled the plaque for ASIP Technologies’ semiconductor manufacturing facility at Tarluwada near Visakhapatnam, marking the launch of South India’s first semiconductor manufacturing unit approved under the India Semiconductor Mission. Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu joined the Prime Minister during the foundation ceremony for the ₹2,500-crore outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) project in Andhra Pradesh.The facility, coming up on a 30-acre site, is being established with an initial investment of ₹460 crore in collaboration with South Korea’s APACT Co as the technology partner. It will have an annual production capacity of 96 million semiconductor chips, catering to high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, data centres, and high-speed communications.ASIP Technologies also announced plans to expand the facility with an additional investment of ₹2,000 crore to scale up its advanced semiconductor packaging operations. The project is expected to generate more than 1,000 direct high-skilled jobs and around 1,600 indirect employment opportunities. Commercial production will begin with wire-bond and Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array (BGA) packaging technologies, while advanced 2.5D and 3D packaging capabilities are slated to be introduced within the next two to three years.