On Friday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu officially inaugurated several key socio-economic projects spearheaded by the Chinta Sasidhar Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the esteemed Vishwa Samudra Group. The grand ceremony took place at the Nandha Gokulam campus in Edagali village, Venkatachalam mandal, Nellore district.
A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Vishwa Samudra Bio-Ethanol Plant. This innovative facility is designed to significantly enhance farmer incomes by purchasing their damaged or broken rice.
Praised as a truly farmer-friendly and environmentally conscious endeavor, Mr. Naidu highlighted its impressive capabilities. “Spanning 24 acres, this grain-based ethanol plant boasts a formidable captive power generation capacity of 200 kilolitres per day,” he stated. “Its primary objective is to supply ethanol to oil marketing companies, directly contributing to the Government of India’s ambitious Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP).”
In an exclusive conversation, Chinta Sasidhar, Chairman of the Vishwa Samudra Group, revealed the extensive investment behind these initiatives. “We’ve poured ₹450 crore into the various socio-economic projects at Nandha Gokulam, in addition to land acquisition costs,” he explained. “The bio-ethanol plant itself represents a substantial investment of ₹340 crore. More importantly, this facility is projected to create direct employment for 250 individuals and indirectly support over 300 more.”
Sasidhar elaborated on the plant’s operational model: “This bio-refinery efficiently converts agricultural feedstock into ethanol, directly bolstering farmer livelihoods and advancing India’s national ethanol blending targets. The plant is set to acquire approximately 15,000 tonnes of broken rice each month from more than 300 rice mills within a 250-kilometer radius. This guarantees robust local supply chains and a consistent income stream for our region’s farmers. We’ve witnessed a dramatic surge in ethanol production over recent years, and this plant is poised to contribute significantly.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu engaging with a student at the Nandha Gokulam Life School during its inauguration in Edagali village, Nellore district.
During his visit, the Chief Minister also officially opened the Nandha Gokulam Life School and the Nandha Gokulam Save The Bull Cause, further expanding the campus’s social welfare and environmental initiatives.
The inauguration ceremony saw the presence of several distinguished guests, including Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, Sarvepalli MLA Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, along with numerous senior officials and prominent political figures.