The Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India have signed a Letter of Intent to establish a Skill and Community Development Centre in Anakapalli district, targeting fishermen, farmers, youth and women.
The proposed centre will provide industry-oriented vocational training, recognised certification and placement assistance for eligible local youth, according to a press release issued by the Andhra Pradesh government. It will also offer livelihood programmes connected to fisheries, agriculture and livestock management.
The initiative is intended to connect local communities with employment and self-employment opportunities as industrial activity expands in the region. The centre will also link beneficiaries with relevant government schemes, the release said.
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh said the government’s priority was to help young people build skills that lead to employment while ensuring that local communities benefit from the state’s industrial growth.
“Our priority is to help young people in Andhra Pradesh build skills that lead to employment and ensure that local communities benefit from the state’s industrial growth,” Lokesh said, according to the release.
The minister said the centre at Nakkapalli would bring together industry-linked training and livelihood support. He added that the government expected the partnership with AM/NS India to strengthen the livelihoods of fishermen and farmers while creating opportunities for youth and women.
The proposed programmes will cover fisheries, agriculture and livestock management, areas intended to strengthen existing livelihoods rather than focus only on formal industrial employment. The centre will also support women-led enterprises, skill development and self-employment, the government said.
For residents of Nakkapalli and neighbouring areas, the stated objectives include improving access to employment and self-employment, raising household incomes and enabling local communities to participate in the economic activity associated with the region’s industrial development.
AM/NS India is an integrated flat steel producer operating as a joint venture. The company’s participation gives the proposed centre an industry-linked component, while APSSDC will be the state agency associated with the Letter of Intent.
The announcement does not specify the centre’s construction or operational timeline, the number of trainees it will accommodate, the location of its facility, or the funding structure. It also does not state when the first training programmes or placement services will begin. These details will determine how quickly the proposed initiative translates into services for residents.
The next steps will involve developing the centre and its training and livelihood programmes under the cooperation announced by APSSDC and AM/NS India.
