VIZIANAGARAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday virtually performed the Bhoomi Pooja for the JSW Industrial Park at Srungavarapukota in Vizianagaram district, marking the start of a long-awaited industrial project expected to boost investment and employment in North Andhra. Naidu joined JSW Group Chairman and Managing Director Sajjan Jindal for the virtual inauguration from Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district.
The Bhoomi Pooja was organised at Srungavarapukota in the presence of District In-charge Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, MSME, SERP and NRI Empowerment & Relations Minister Kondapalli Srinivas, Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharath, District Collector S Ramsundar Reddy, Joint Collector S Sedhu Madhavan, MLCs Indukuri Raghu Raju and Gade Srinivasulu Naidu, local MLA Kolla Lalitha Kumari, senior officials, public representatives and JSW Group representatives. Thousands of local residents watched the live telecast of the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Vangalapudi Anitha said industrialisation and investment were key to the State’s overall development. She thanked farmers who had parted with their land for the project and assured them that the government would give priority to their welfare.
She said the first phase of the MSME park would be developed over 535 acres and create around 45,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, transforming the Srungavarapukota Assembly constituency into an industrial hub.
Minister Kondapalli Srinivas said the world-class industrial park would bring global recognition to North Andhra. He said the first phase of the project, spread over 1,160 acres with an investment of `531 crore, was progressing rapidly.
The government, he added, was making arrangements to ensure employment opportunities for every land-losing family while creating livelihoods for nearly 45,000 people.
Drawing a comparison with Sri City in Chittoor district, Srinivas said the JSW Industrial Park had the potential to transform the socio-economic landscape of North Andhra. He also credited Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Minister Nara Lokesh for driving development efforts.