VISAKHAPATNAM: Minister for IT and Panchayat Raj Nara Lokesh said that there was scope for development in the retail sector in the State. Speaking after formally inaugurating the Walmart Best Store at Gajuwaka, here on Wednesday, the IT Minister said that a large number of local youth would get employment opportunities in the retail sector. He said they would be successful in their career if they worked hard.
The minister said that the government was mulling promotion of 5,000 local brands, such as Araku coffee. Natural farming would be encouraged, he said. He sought help of Walmart in getting international recognition for these brands as also help these in marketing their products better.
]He said that under Yuva Nestam programme, jobless youth would be given training so that they could develop their skills as per Walmart’s requirement. He said that the government had entered into an MoU with Walmart to start 15 stores in the State. This would help generate 30,000 jobs for local youths, he said. He sought feedback from the retail giant regarding its requirement.
]He said the new State of Andhra Pradesh had inherited a deficit budget after bifurcation. There was no capital and no infrastructure for governance, he said adding that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had worked with a vision and the State was now number one in ease of doing business. In ease of living and rural development the State also stood first, he said. He said that Visakhapatnam was fast emerging as IT destination and medical and pharma hub. New start-ups are providing employment to local youth, he said.