KAKINADA: Rajya Sabha MP Sana Satish Babu on Monday announced the establishment of the ‘Skills, Startup, Bharat Hub’ to provide training and create employment and self-employment opportunities for youth in Kakinada district.
He laid the foundation stone for the centre within the Government ITI campus. The MP said a survey conducted three years ago under the ‘For Kakinada District’ initiative showed 80 per cent of respondents prioritised jobs, prompting the focus on employment.
The hub will offer training, incubation and skill development in line with the Chief Minister’s ‘One Home – One Entrepreneur’ vision, integrating the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub model.
The project is estimated at Rs 15–20 crore, with the first phase costing Rs 5.30 crore. Hostel facilities will follow to accommodate students from Tuni and Konaseema.
Discussions with Divis Pharma, Aurobindo Pharma, AM Green and Coromandel Fertilisers aim to impart industry-specific skills and secure direct employment agreements.
Of the 20,000 students completing courses annually in the district, the immediate target is to train 1,000 and groom 100 entrepreneurs each year.
A digital library, mentoring services, and a counter for government schemes are also planned.
District Collector MN Harendhira Prasad, MLCs Karri Padmasree and P Raja Sekhar, Kakinada City MLA Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao, Rural MLA Pantam Venkateswara Rao, Peddapuram MLA Nimmakayala Chinarajappa and Prathipadu MLA Varupula Satyaprabha, DCCB Chairman Thummala Ramaswamy and others attended.