Kia Motors, has devised a plan to hire unskilled labour locally and train the youth for factory jobs in Andhra Pradesh. The plan is well timed since the Korean motor company’s new manufacturing facility in Anantapur district is all set to be inaugurated by the chief minister of the State.
The Government’s latest industrial policy makes it compulsory to reserve 75 per cent of jobs for the locals. The Kia Project is expected to create 4,000 permanent jobs as well as 7,000 temporary ones. Only locals will be hired for all the unskilled jobs.
The Company will be collaborating with the Andhra government to upgrade the skills of the local employees to make them ready to fulfil the needs of industries. Kia and its affiliates have together provided jobs to 12,835 people. Of these, over 10,000 belong to Andhra and more than 7000 are residents of Anantapur district itself.
Kia’s plant was established in Penukonda, Anantapur district, in February 2018 and the first car was rolled out in August 2019. In addition to being given 536 acres land at Rs 6 lakh per acre, the then government had also waived off state GST for 22 years. The government had also invested a couple of crores to level the land and constructed a flyover to connect the plant with the highway. Arrangements were also made to provide water to the plant, from a reservoir after land was acquired from farmers at a price to allow Kia to set up its facility.
