Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday requested the Union Minister for Science and Technology Harshvardhan to set up the Central research institutions in the state at the earliest.

Harshvardhan called on Naidu this evening.

The Chief Minister told the Union Minister that his government had given top priority to science and technology following the bifurcation, and he wanted the Centre to expedite the process of setting up research institutions in Andhra Pradesh, an official release said.

Naidu also sought the Centre's assistance for setting up IT start-ups and incubation centres as the state government had come out with a policy to open at least 5,000 start-ups to create direct employment for four lakh youths.

He also said efforts were on to establish a skill development university, while the AP Skill Development Corporation has already been set up. The Telugu Association of North America has donated Rs two crore for skill development among rural youth.

The release said Harshvardhan asked the state government to establish a tsunami-warning system along the Bay of Bengal coast as the area is prone to cyclones and other natural disasters.

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y Satyanarayana Chowdary was also present during the meeting, the release said.