Mancherial: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao said a Skill Development Centre would be set up in Bellampalli soon.
He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the expansion of Orient Cement Ltd at Devapur village in Kasipet mandal. The cement plant is being expanded at an estimated cost of Rs.2,000 crore.
Hoping that locals would find employment opportunities following the expansion of Orient Cement, the Minister said there would be more job opportunities for local people with the advent of the Food Processing Zone, for which he earlier laid the foundation stone in Bellampalli.
Also making assurances on funds of Rs.50 crore under Mission Bhagiratha and TUFIDC, besides forming several roads, an inter-state bridge across Pranahita river in Vemanapalli mandal, Rama Rao said he was surprised to find two IT firms in Bellampalli town.
While one of them was founded by three local technocrats providing jobs to 100 locals, the other was set up by another local person Ramana, creating jobs to 200 locals.
Stating that 15,000 children of coal miners were provided jobs by reviving the dependent job scheme so far, he said the State government had raised the share in profits to miners from 18 percent to 30 percent, recognizing the role of the employees in the Telangana movement. While 19,260 posts were filled up, the retirement age was increased from 58 years to 61.
Documents of ownership would be given to 4,000 beneficiaries, while 3,000 persons were going to get the documents for occupying residential quarters of the coal major. The documents would be delivered at the doorsteps of the beneficiaries soon, he said.
Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy, Government Whip Balka Suman, Peddapalli MP Dr B Venkatesh Netha, MLC Dande Vittal, MLAs Diwakar Rao, Konappa, Rathod Bapu Rao, Athram Sakku, A Rekha Naik and others were present.