CM Jagan inaugurates 3 units, lays stones for more; 20,000 jobs up for grabs

TIRUPATI: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated three companies and laid the foundation stones for as many others in Tirupati on Thursday. The firms, being set up with a total investment of nearly Rs 4,000 crore, would create direct employment to 20,000 people. The companies inaugurated were TCL, Foxlinks and Sunny Opo. 

Of the companies, Hilltop SEZ Footwear India Limited (Apache) would invest Rs 800 crore in its unit at Inagaluru village in Srikalahasti mandal and provide jobs to 10,000 people. TCL invested Rs 1,230 crore, Foxlink Rs 1,050 crore, and Sunny Opo Rs 280 crore in their respective units set up at Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) at Vikruthamala near Tirupati, and would together employ nearly 6,500 people in the next one month. 

Another two companies, Foxlink India Limited and Dixon Technologies, which manufacture television units, would set up their units at costs of Rs 300 crore and Rs 110 crore, and provide direct employment to 1,200 and 850 people, respectively.Speaking after the ground-breaking ceremony at Inagaluru, Jagan said the company, an exclusive supplier of footwear to global brand Adidas, would invest about Rs 800, crore creating direct employment for 10,000 people, and 80 per cent of the workforce would be women. 

“The company will commence production in September 2023 -- that is in 15 months,” he said, and assured the government’s support. The chief minister recalled his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy facilitating Apache at Tada in 2006, where 15,000 employees -- 60 per cent of them women -- have now been employed. 

“Apache has also set up a unit in Pulivedula that employs 2,000 women, and it will commence production in December this year, if not by March 2023,” he said. Earlier, the chief minister watered a sapling at the unit site, and unveiled the pylon. Industries Director Gummalla Srijana and Tony To, CEO of Apache India, signed the MoU. Tony explained about Apache’s journey in Andhra Pradesh. 

At EMC, Vikruthamala, the chief minister said, it was a great day for Tirupati and the State, as three units were inaugurated and foundation stones for two more units were laid, opening up the doors for more jobs. 

“TCL unit manufactures mobile display panels, and has invested Rs 1,230 crore in this unit. It is providing 3,200 direct employment and trial runs have commenced. Foxlinks, which manufactures USB cables and circuit boards and has invested Rs 1,050 crore and is providing direct employment to 2,000 people. Sunny Opo makes camera lenses for cellphones and has invested Rs 280 crore and is providing direct jobs to 1,200. In the next one month all these 6,400 people will be working,” he said. 

He reiterated that the State government would be available for all companies investing in the State just a phone call away to address their issues, if any. “We will make sure your journey in Andhra Pradesh is wonderful,” he assured. 

AP Electronics and IT Agency (APEITA) signed MoUs with POTPL Electronics, a subsidiary company of TCL Corporation, Zetwerk Technologies, Techbulls, and SmartDV Technologies at the event.Ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Gudivada Amarnath, Narayana Swamy, MLAs Chivireddy Bhasker Reddy, B Madhusudan Reddy and other officials attended the function.