Badvel (YSR Kadapa dist): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has inaugurated a unit of Century Plyboards (India) Ltd, a manufacturer of wood panel and decorative industry. The project proponent had allocated an investment of close to Rs 1,000 crore for the laminate, MDF and PVC unit here. The first phase of production comprises two large size presses of laminates, which is operational currently. MDF unit and PVC unit are in the advanced stage of commissioning. The next phase is envisaged with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore. In the next three - five years, the brand plans to generate direct and indirect employment of over 2,000 people in the region.

After inaugurating the MDF and HPL (High Pressure Laminate) units at Badvel, the Chief Minister also interacted with company Chairman, officials and staff members. In an interaction, the Chief Minister observed that the inauguration of the unit was yet another milestone in the industrial growth journey of the district.

The Century unit, for which the Chief Minister laid foundation stone two years ago, is ready to commence commercial production now. The unit was established in an extent of 100 acres given to the company on a 33-year lease.

The company manufactures plywood panels from the Jam Oil wood for which 25,000 farmers have grown Jam Oil trees in an area of 80,000 acres. The company has completed agreements with farmers on the cultivation of Jam Oil trees and also provided the saplings on subsidy. The Chief Minister later inaugurated the YSR Super Speciality Hospital built on 230-acre RIMS (Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences) complex in Kadapa. It includes the Rs 200 crore worth medical, dental and nursing colleges, the Rs 125 crore 452-bed super specialty wing, the Rs 40.8 crore 100-bed YSR Institute of Mental Health and the Rs 107 crore 100-bed YSR Cancer Care Block.

Later, he inaugurated the flood lights arranged in the YS Raja Reddy Cricket Stadium, the modernised District Collectorate Complex and the Ambedkar, Y Junction, Koti Reddy and Seven Roads Circles, here.

Along with the Chief Minister, Sajjan Bhajanka and several other dignitaries attended the event.

YSR Kadapa district holds an important place on the industrial map of AP for its valuable repository of resources. As the government has earmarked this region as a potential agro industry hub, this initiative of CenturyPly marks the beginning of a series of investments of other industrial entities that will follow leading eventually to making it a significant hub of furniture for the entire country.