The Udayagiri wood carving centre in Nellore district could receive a proposed ₹50 lakh development allocation after Telugu Desam Nellore district president and MLC Beeda Ravichandra said he would work with local authorities to mobilise funds for expanding the facility.
Ravichandra made the assurance during an inspection of the Common Facility Service Centre (CFSC) at Udayagiri with local leaders. He said the centre’s wood carving products had gained recognition across Andhra Pradesh and nationally, and were being presented as gifts to distinguished guests.
The proposed funding is intended to support improved and modern facilities at the centre. Ravichandra said better infrastructure would allow it to expand its activities and create employment for more women. The centre currently provides livelihood opportunities to more than 300 economically disadvantaged minority women, according to the report.
The announcement is an assurance to pursue funding and does not yet constitute confirmation of a sanctioned ₹50 lakh grant. Ravichandra said he would coordinate with local MLA Kakarla Suresh and take up the matter with the Nellore district collector to mobilise the funds.
The centre’s role extends beyond the production of handcrafted wood items. Its existing operations provide a common platform for women artisans who depend on the craft for income, while also supporting the visibility of Udayagiri’s artistic identity. Any expansion would therefore involve both the physical improvement of the facility and the ability to accommodate greater production activity.
Ravichandra said the objective was to transform the Udayagiri wood carving centre into a major livelihood hub. He also recalled that the district collector and Nellore MPs Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and Beeda Masthan Rao Yadav had already extended financial support to the initiative.
The proposed development places the centre within a wider local infrastructure question: whether common facilities can help traditional production move beyond small-scale activity while retaining its connection to local artisans. The report does not specify the proposed construction works, implementation schedule, funding release mechanism or agency that would execute the improvements.
For the women currently associated with the centre, the immediate significance of the proposal lies in the possibility of increased capacity and more stable access to work. However, the next formal steps will depend on coordination between the MLC, the local MLA and the district administration, as well as confirmation of the proposed financial support.
Ravichandra said efforts would continue to expand the centre’s capacity and develop it into a major livelihood hub. The district administration’s response and any formal decision on the proposed ₹50 lakh allocation will determine the next stage of the initiative.
