Govt. sanctions ₹36 crore for establishment of centre for energy and cyber resilience in Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand. | Photo Credit: File Photo

The State government on Thursday sanctioned ₹36 crore for a period of three years to establish AP Centre for Energy and Cyber Resilience (APCECR) in Amaravati in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) under its Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) Network.

Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand said in a G.O. (Ms No.59) that the government resolved to establish the APCECR with a long-term vision to position the State as a global hub for innovation, clean energy, and responsible digital transformation.

The APCECR will be the first thematic C4IR Centre in India with dual focus areas — energy transition and green industries, for which the State government will work with the WEF’s Centre for Energy and Materials (CENMAT) and AI-led Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity with the support of WEF’s Centre for Cybersecurity.

The aim of the APCECR is to drive sustainable industrial transformation and cyber resilience, attract investments in green energy, AI, and digital infrastructure, and institutionalise AP’s participation in international policy and innovation forums.

It will be established initially at a place decided by the Energy Department in Vijayawada / Amaravati with the Minister for ITE&C and HRD as its Chairman, a senior executive nominated by the WEF as the Co-Chairperson, Special Chief Secretary (Energy) as the Member-Secretary, Joint MD of AP-Transco as the ex officio Director, and Principal Secretary (ITE&C), AP Economic Development Board CEO, MDs of New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of AP, AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, and AP Technology Services, and industry and academia representatives as members.

APCECR will undertake various activities, including pilot projects in clean fuels, smart grids, cyber policy frameworks, talent development in cybersecurity, and AI applications in governance and agriculture, and facilitate AP’s engagement with global stakeholders through the WEF platform.

The Energy Department has been designated as the nodal department for coordination, implementation, and administration of the APCECR, and is authorised to enter into a formal MoU with the WEF on behalf of the government.

Published - June 12, 2025 08:33 pm IST