Over 6 lakh jobs created in 21 months: Andhra CM Naidu in Assembly

Amaravati, Mar 4 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that over six lakh people have been provided employment in the past 21 months across private and public sectors.

Addressing the Assembly, Naidu said 2.48 lakh people secured jobs in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), including 1.46 lakh through skill development, 95,000 in industries, and 64,000 in food processing.

In government jobs, he said 30,500 people were employed through the District Selection Committee (teacher recruitment), as police constables, and in other government positions.

“Until now, 6.28 lakh people have been provided jobs,” Naidu said, assuring that the government will exceed its target of providing 20 lakh jobs.

Observing that the government has introduced a universal health policy, Naidu said it will guarantee free medical treatment up to Rs 2.5 lakh, with measures being taken to extend healthcare at minimal cost.

Alleging that the previous YSRCP government did not even allot land for medical colleges, Naidu said the TDP-led NDA government is working to ensure a 100-bed hospital in every constituency.

Reassuring that the PPP model is not privatisation, the CM said the medical colleges developed under this framework will remain government assets.

Accusing the previous YSRCP government of harming the education system, Naidu said primary education will be in the mother tongue, and claimed that introducing English-medium instruction caused confusion.

Naidu said the government will take responsibility for nurturing skilled youth and preserving the Telugu language.

He noted that the state lost its brand value between 2019 and 2024, citing companies such as Jockey, Amar Raja, Lulu, and Franklin Templeton, which left Andhra Pradesh and vowed not to return under YSRCP rule.

Citing an RBI report, Naidu said 913 companies exited the state during the previous YSRCP regime. He added that Andhra Pradesh, once known for ‘ease of doing business,’ has now become the hub for ‘speed of doing business.’ Reminding that the state secured investment pledges worth over Rs 13 lakh crore during the investors' summit, Naidu said these are expected to generate jobs for 16 lakh people.

Assuring that Andhra Pradesh will become a preferred destination for investment, the CM said the government is focusing on overall state development and has divided the state into three economic zones: Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, and Tirupati.

Predicting that the state will grow into a USD 2.4 trillion economy by 2047, Naidu said Vizag will emerge as a hub for IT, GCCs, and data centres, while Amaravati will develop as a knowledge city and quantum computing hub.

Calling Google’s USD 15 billion data centre investment in Vizag the largest FDI in India, he said several other major companies, including TCS and ArcelorMittal, are planning projects in the port city.

Naidu said the foundation for the ArcelorMittal project will be laid on March 23, with the Google investment starting in April, recalling several other investments attracted by the state.

To encourage investments, the TDP supremo said the government will extend ‘escrow account’ facilities and other incentives.

An escrow account is a secure, neutral third-party arrangement for holding funds or assets during a transaction, ensuring they are released only when both parties fulfill the agreed-upon conditions.

Terming the alleged liquor scam under the YSRCP regime the largest in the state, Naidu said a cabinet sub-committee has been formed to investigate it. He alleged that spurious liquor brands led to the deaths of 30,000 people, among other irregularities. Speaker C Ayyannapatrudu estimated the scam at Rs 10,000 crore.

Further, Naidu said the government is promoting the ‘One Family, One Entrepreneur’ initiative to encourage MSMEs.

Besides skill development through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH), Naidu said the government is focusing on building human resources through multiple initiatives.

The CM also informed the House that the death toll in the Vetlapalem cracker unit blast has risen to 26, with six people undergoing treatment.

The powerful blast at a licensed crackers unit at Vetlapalem village of Samarlakota mandal took the lives of 20 people on the day of the blast, and three more persons succumbed while undergoing treatment.

Observing that the Surya Sri Fireworks unit had been permitted under the previous YSRCP government, Naidu said it violated rules and produced crackers beyond its capacity.

Highlighting negligence and greed as causes of the mishap, he warned that the government will act sternly against those responsible.

He said the government will auction the culprits’ assets to compensate victims and added that the local deputy collector, DSP, and other officials have been suspended over the incident.

In addition to Rs 20 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased, the government will bear the medical expenses of injured workers, provide housing for the homeless victims, and cover their children’s education costs.

The House observed two minutes of silence for the victims of the cracker unit blast.

Moreover, Naidu criticised the YSRCP for allegedly politicising the Tirupati laddu ghee adulteration case while "ignoring public issues." PTI STH SSK