French delegation to hold biz talks with Andhra Pradesh

A sixty-member French business delegation will visit Andhra Pradesh tomorrow to hold discussions with the state government on smart cities, infrastructure and industry.
The team, headed by Ambassador of France to India Alexandre Ziegler, will hold discussions with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on "infrastructures and smart cities, investment and industry, transportation, IT and communication, energy, water and waste management and environment," a release said.
The meeting is scheduled to be held in Vijayawada, said a release from the French Embassy, Delhi.
A copy of the release was issued to the media here by the office of Consul General of France in Puducherry.

Officials of the French Embassy and the French Development Agency (Agence Francaise De Developpement) would highlight French expertise in the areas of urban development, renewable energy and infrastructures, among others, it said.
"Amaravati, the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh, is the biggest and latest smart city development project in India," it stated.

"France, being one of the top most investors in India, is committed to deepening its ever increasing economic ties with the country and bringing in the best possible technology and solutions needed for successful implementation of the Amaravati capital city project," it said.
The release further said that "with its industrial experience, wide sectoral expertise and cutting edge technologies in sustainable urban development, transport and energy, France is building a partnership for the future with India. France invests, makes and innovates in India..."

With the launch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Smart City Mission', France has made urban development a top priority for investment in India, it said.
The Embassy of France founded the French Smart Cities Club in India in July this year which brings together more than 50 French companies established in India from across the smart cities' sectors such as urban planning and consultancy.
The French Development Agency has signed three MoUs with Indian authorities for providing technical assistance to the cities of Chandigarh, Nagpur and Puducherry "which is an illustration of concrete French support towards the implementation of the Smart cities' mission in India,"

The agency is a public financial institution implementing the policy defined by the French government and working to fight poverty and promoting sustainable development it said.