By IANS,
Hyderabad: US state Maryland Monday signed a sister state agreement with Andhra Pradesh, the first such agreement with any Indian state.
On the first day of his visit to India, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed the agreement with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
The agreement is expected to help in collaboration in various sectors like life sciences, biotechnology and information technology.
“We hope there will be many opportunities for our two states to collaborate in business, trade, agriculture, education and health,” said O’Malley.
The Maryland leader, who began six-day visit to India Monday, is leading a 100-member delegation including business leaders, educators and elected officials from his state, situated on the US’ east coast.
“Our states have tremendous in common. We are home to major ports and have strong agriculture traditions and agriculture economies,” he said.
Describing Andhra Pradesh as one of the most progressive states in India, O’Malley pointed out that both Andhra Pradesh and Maryland were strong in life sciences, biotechnology, IT, cyber security and pharmaceuticals.
Kiran Kumar Reddy said the two states could have greater cooperation in the area of agriculture to improve productivity and to leverage technology for providing better services to people.
The chief minister said his government was focusing on education and on employability of the youth passing out of colleges.
Earlier, the Maryland governor witnessed signing of three agreements between Maryland and Indian companies.
The agreements include one between ANGARAI, a Greenbelt-based management consulting firm and Chennai-based product development company CI to pursue opportunities in mobile and web applications.
Rockville-based Sheladia Associates, an engineering, architecture and development company signed an agreement with two Indian firms, SaiMatarani Toll Ways Ltd and Gayatri Projects Ltd.
Sheladia will provide design and project management services valued at $3.7 million for upgrading Panikoili-Rimouli section of national highway 215 to a four-lane facility.