Andhra Pradesh Cabinet to allot 21 acres to TCS for 99 paisa as Nara Lokesh takes leaf out of Modi playbook

The allotment is part of the state’s efforts to position Vizag as a key technology hub.

In a move to attract major IT investments, the Andhra Pradesh government has allotted 21.16 acres of land in Visakhapatnam to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for a symbolic price of just 99 paisa, and would likely to clear the proposal in a cabinet meeting on April 15.

The allotment is part of the state’s efforts to position Vizag as a key technology hub. IT Minister Nara Lokesh had first pitched the idea to TCS during a visit to Tata headquarters in Mumbai in October 2024, urging the tech major to consider Andhra Pradesh for its next large-scale development center.

Over the following months, the state government held continuous discussions with TCS, ultimately leading to Monday’s cabinet approval. The move, officials say, is designed to send a strong message to the industry: Andhra Pradesh is open and competitive when it comes to attracting top-tier technology investments.

The decision also draws comparisons to a well-known industrial playbook, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Gujarat Chief Minister, famously allotted land to Tata Motors in Sanand for 99 paisa, a move credited with catalyzing the state’s automotive sector.

“This is our Sanand moment for the IT sector,” a government official said. “We want Vizag to be on every tech company’s map.”

TCS has not yet formally announced plans for the scale of operations in Vizag.