AP Targets One Entrepreneur in Every Family by 2030: Minister Durgesh

The Andhra Pradesh government is focusing on strengthening the MSME and startup ecosystem to drive industrial growth and create large-scale employment opportunities, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh said on Friday.

He was speaking after inaugurating the MSME Business Expo-2026 organised by the AP Chamber of Commerce and Industries Federation at Gadiraju Palace in Visakhapatnam. The three-day expo, being held from September 11 to 13, features 187 stalls showcasing products and services from MSMEs, food processing units, tourism ventures, startups and other sectors.

Durgesh, along with Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao, toured the exhibition and interacted with entrepreneurs to understand their products, businesses and challenges. He appreciated the organisers for bringing together a wide range of enterprises under one platform.

The minister said the coalition government, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, was giving priority to MSMEs and startups as part of its broader industrial development strategy.

He highlighted the Andhra Pradesh MSME and Entrepreneur Development Policy 4.0 (2024-29), under which the government aims to create one entrepreneur in every family by 2030.

The state has set a target of attracting ₹50,000 crore in investments in the MSME sector over five years and generating 1.75 lakh jobs, Durgesh said. The government is also working to establish 175 micro parks, one in each Assembly constituency, to provide a more supportive environment for small businesses.

He said aspiring entrepreneurs would receive mentoring, consultancy and other assistance needed to establish and expand their ventures. Both the Centre and the state government are extending various incentives to support MSMEs, he added.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao said Visakhapatnam was emerging rapidly as both an industrial and tourism hub. He said the city, popularly known as the “City of Destiny,” was expected to add 16 five-star hotels soon. Events such as the expo would help strengthen the city's business and tourism ecosystem, he added.

Representatives of the chamber, entrepreneurs, business leaders and other local dignitaries attended the event.