VIJAYAWADA: Speaking at the inauguration of 16 IT firms in Mangalagiri on Wednesday, IT minister Nara Lokesh has promised to create one lakh jobs in the state by next year. The minister also elaborated on the state government's plans to promote IT sector in Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Anantapur that would generate 2.5 lakh jobs in the regions and 10 lakh jobs in total in the next 10 years.
“We are developing Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Anantapur as IT clusters and each of them would create 2.5 lakh jobs in the next 10 years. So, 10 lakh IT jobs will be created in the state in 10 years,” he said.
He added that 24,000 IT jobs have already been created since he took over as the minister nine months ago. “We promised one lakh jobs by 2019 and I am happy to say that about 25 per cent of it has already been achieved. In Mangalagiri alone, 2,000 people are working in 25 firms which are product-based,” he observed.
Nara Lokesh further said that the government was aware that Amaravati would be successful only when jobs are created. “About 30 per cent of IT employees in major cities in India are from AP. So, we are working to create opportunities in our state itself so that they don’t migrate to other states,” he added.
The statements came shortly after chip design startup Invecas Inc in association with Globalfoundries, which is one of the leading global semiconductor manufacturing companies, evinced interest to set up a Semiconductor Manufacturing Park in Amaravati during the inauguration of 16 small and medium IT and ITES firms at two IT parks in Mangalagiri.
The talks with the global firm are in the advanced stage, according to Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) which is facilitating the establishment of the firm. “The Globalfoundries and Invecas partnered together and are the second leading semiconductor manufacturers in the world. They expressed their keenness to set up shop in Amaravati and the discussions are in an advanced stage. Once the semiconductor park becomes operational, it will generate employment for 3,000 people,” said the CEO of APNRTS K Sambasiva Rao.
Nara Lokesh, who inaugurated the 16 firms, said that another firm State Street will begin operations at Medha Towers in Gannavaram shortly. “This will generate job opportunities for 1,000 commerce graduates,” he announced.
NRI Affairs advisor to the government Vemuru Ravi Kumar said that APNRT facilitated the establishment of 54 IT firms in 16 months and is on its way to ensure 50 more in the next six months.
A MoU between Veda IIT and JNTU, Kakinada, to promote skills training and another was inked between APNRT and iKeva for creating necessary office infrastructure were inked on the occasion. Ministers Kollu Ravindra, Nakka Anand Babu, DGP M Malakondiah and others were also present at the event.