Sribharat assures creation of 1 lakh jobs in steel city

Visakhapatnam: Thegoal is to create one lakh jobs in Visakhapatnam in alignment with the aspirations of the Andhra Pradesh Government’s commitment to generate 20 lakh jobs across the state, Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat shared his vision.

In an interactive session held with zonal council members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, the MP acknowledged the gap between the state’s budgetary resources and requirements.

He urged industry experts to focus on projects that could be prioritised and implemented efficiently. He assured creation of a positive industrial environment and enhanced brand image for Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh.

During the meeting, the CII members presented various issues and potential growth sectors for the city, emphasising infrastructure challenges and highlighting opportunities in sectors such as solar manufacturing, biotechnology, data centres, research and development in automotive and electronics, manufacturing, and port-led industrial development.

Chairman of CII Visakhapatnam Grandhi Rajesh put forth the suggestions on behalf of the members. Key issues were discussed, including the need for infrastructure development, improved connectivity to highways for existing industries and the urgent completion of the NHAI project to connect the port.

The CII also recommended environmental measures, such as shifting dusty cargoes into covered storage and covering coal conveyors, to improve logistics and transport efficiency. The provision of water, power, and roads were underscored as essential for industrial growth. The lack of skilled resources in the city and surrounding areas was also highlighted, with a request for the establishment of Skill Development Centres to create employment opportunities.

Additionally, CII requested the establishment of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) zonal office in Visakhapatnam to streamline drug approval processes, clinical trials, and compliance matters.

Creation of a convention and expo space in Auto Nagar, establishment of women’s entrepreneur parks in each district, and prioritising local entrepreneurs were discussed.

Past chairman of CII AP D Tirupathi Raju pointed out lack of food processing units in Andhra Pradesh despite numerous central government schemes. Over 50 industry heads from across the city participated in the session.