The goings-on in AP MedTech Zone, the prestigious project of the previous Naidu government, are not being revealed. As this zone is the brainchild of the TDP government, the YSRCP government is determined to suppress any news or development that brings name and fame to the MedTech Zone.
Medical treatment has become costly in our country as most of the advanced medical equipment has to be imported at a huge cost. To reduce dependence on imports, the previous TDP government conceived the idea of a special zone exclusively to manufacture indigenous medical equipment for the country’s needs. The MedTech Zone was inaugurated in December 2018 at Pedagantyada mandal near Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam district.
Eighteen types of highly advanced laboratories have been set up in the zone. It has joint participation of 15 public sector companies and six international entities. Many companies came forward to manufacture their goods in the 70 acre zone. It has been aimed to create employment to 25,000 people.
Since the change of guard
Ever since the YSRCP government came to power in the state, there has been no word on what is going on in the MedTech Zone. Even defence establishments do not observe so much secrecy as this medical equipment zone is now observing. There is no doubt that the MedTech Zone is playing a crucial role in the fight against the Covid-19.
From personal protection equipment (PPE) kits to ventilators, many types of equipment needed to tackle corona pandemic are being produced here, but no information about the zone’s contribution is being revealed. There is no response to queries and mails to either officials or the zone’s public relations officers. The government’s intention seems to stop any information about the zone’s role in fighting pandemic just because the MedTech Zone was promoted by the previous government.
People are questioning the need to keep everything about the MedTech zone secret, including details such as the number of industrial units in the zone, number of employees, products and their prices. Let us see how long the government can keep the lid on such issues.
