Industries and aviation training to boost employment

Kurnool: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu virtually laid the foundation stones for several industrial projects across the state on Tuesday, including a Flight Training Organization (FTO) at Kurnool Airport and the Reliance Consumers Products Limited beverage manufacturing unit at Brahmanapalli in Orvakal mandal.

The initiatives, launched as part of the state’s commitment to industrial growth and job creation, are expected to significantly boost employment and skill development in the Rayalaseema region.

Addressing the event at Kurnool Airport, Minister for Agriculture, Cooperation, Marketing, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries K Atchannaidu said that the Chief Minister is making dedicated efforts to create employment opportunities through industrial expansion.

He announced that Melstar Aviation Tech Pvt. Ltd., in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Ltd. (APADCL), is setting up the DGCA-approved Flight Training Organization at Kurnool Airport with an initial investment of Rs 100 crore on two acres.

The centre will offer courses such as Commercial Pilot License, Private Pilot License, Multi-Engine Rating, and Instrument Rating.

The project is expected to generate direct employment for 100 people and indirect opportunities for another 250, with training scheduled to commence by July next year.

Speaking at Brahmanapalli, Minister for Industries, Commerce and Food Processing TG Bharath said that the establishment of Reliance Consumers Products Limited’s beverage unit marks a milestone in Andhra Pradesh’s industrial journey.

Built with an investment of Rs 3,000 crore, the unit will be the company’s second-largest plant after its facility in Mexico and is expected to provide direct and indirect employment to over 5,000 people.

He emphasized that the state’s “Speed of Doing Business” policy is drawing major industrial investments, and highlighted the government’s focus on establishing skill centres in every district to equip youth with employable skills.

Bharat also noted that Kurnool is fast emerging as a key industrial hub, with upcoming projects such as a semiconductor plant worth Rs 23,000 crore and Agastya Solar works worth Rs 7,000 crore.

Kurnool MP Basti Patti Nagaraju and Collector Dr A Siri lauded the government’s vision for transforming Kurnool into a centre for innovation and industrial growth.

MLA Gauri Charitha recalled that the promise made by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in 2014 to develop Orvakal into an industrial hub is now being fulfilled, with several projects — including the DRDO facility, Jai Raj Ispat Steel Plant, and Asia’s largest solar park — already in operation. Officials from APADCL, APIIC, and Reliance, along with several public representatives, attended the ceremonies.

The new ventures, combining industrial growth with skill-based training, are poised to make Kurnool a pivotal hub for both aviation and manufacturing sectors in Andhra Pradesh.