The TDP-led NDA government is making significant strides towards transforming Prakasam district, particularly the western zone, into an industrial hub, with a focus on supporting the region’s poor and unemployed youth, said Social Welfare Minister Dr Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy. Swamy, along with Giddalur MLA M Ashok Reddy, Leather Industries Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (LIDCAP) Chairman Pilli Manikyala Rao, and other officials, laid the foundation stone for a leather park project with Rs 575 million in Yadavalli village of Racharla mandal on Saturday. The minister emphasised that the leather park and footwear industries will play a vital role in the region’s economic growth in the coming years. The State government has allocated 25 acres of land for the project. Later, the minister also launched road works worth Rs 70 lakh to link the Ongole-Nandyal route. On the occasion, Minister Swamy asserted that the government aims to provide 20 lakh job opportunities to unemployed youth over the next four years. He highlighted that the State government has successfully attracted investments worth Rs 6.5 lakh crore in various sectors, with a special focus on the Kanigiri area for recyclable energy resource industries and refinery projects in Ramayapatnam and Kandukur. These initiatives are expected to generate around 4 lakh job opportunities for the youth. Dr Swamy also stressed the government’s commitment to providing ample job opportunities to SC/ST unemployed youth, emphasising efforts to restore the SC Corporation’s past glory and strengthen LIDCAP. The government has promised to protect LIDCAP lands from land grabbers statewide, he said, commending the LIDCAP Chairman for his efforts in establishing these industrial units. MLA Ashok Reddy expressed gratitude to the government, Chief Minister, Minister Swamy, and LIDCAP Chairman for the establishment of the leather park in Giddalur, which has a significant SC/ST population. He further requested the government, through the Minister, to establish another leather processing industry in the region, which would greatly benefit the local SC community.