Green capital to provide job opportunities

Vijayawada: Here is good news for agriculture workers and unemployed youth in Amaravati capital villages. There will be a huge demand for gardening staff in AP’s new capital Amaravati. 

According to official expectations, 10,000 workers and unemployed youth are likely to get employment opportunities in gardening and beautification works. As the state government decided to give utmost importance for greenery in the construction of new capital, almost one-third of land has been earmarked for the purpose. 

As per the master plan, the greenery will be developed in 10,000 acres out of total 33,000 acres of land collected from farmers for capital construction. After identifying the huge demand for gardeners in near future, the government has started training agriculture workers and unemployed youth in gardening. 

According to sources, the farm workers in Amaravati villages do not have any knowledge on landscaping and gardening works. Presently the state government is utilising the services from Hyderabad-based companies and private agencies due to scarcity of skilled workers. Apart from this, the demand will increase as one-third of area should be allotted for developing greenery under the purview of Amaravati capital. 

In this backdrop, the AP Urban Greening and Beautification Corporation designed a course in gardening and beautification work for one-month. The agriculture workers and unemployed youth are being selected for this course, said Corporation Director Mustafa. 

Speaking to The Hans India, Mustafa said the State government was providing training with free meals and Rs 300 would be paid per a day as stipend to workers besides providing employment opportunities immediately after completion of the course.

Already, the corporation had provided training to 150 members in gardening course, he said. The official also said the employees of other departments along with corporations and municipalities would also be provided training in this one-month course.

The training classes include basics to soft landscaping, hard landscaping, pruning, sprinklers, drip irrigation, identification of bacterial and fungal diseases to plants, usage of pesticides and nutrition, grass cutting, cleaning and snake management, plantations, growing nurseries, machinery usage for various purposes in greenery development and beautification works.

By Patibandla Srinivas