ANANTAPUR: Seoul-based KIA Motors Corporation has announced that a unit will be established in Penukonda, on NH 44, by 2019. Representatives of the company have indicated that the company plans to invest Rs 13,500 crore in the project. An agreement has been signed with the AP Government, for setting up a car manufacturing plant in Anantapur district.
On Wednesday, a team of representatives from KIA Motors held a review meeting with collector Veera Pandian and other district officials, to discuss about the project.
The team explained that this was to be their seventh project overall, and the first in the country. They said that they wanted to establish a car manufacturing unit on 535 acres of land, at a site that was close to NH 44 as well as the International Airport of Bengaluru. The state government gave them a list of sites that would meet their needs. The representatives then visited the various sites to study their suitability.
The 10-member team split up into three groups, and each group visited a different sector. They obtained the information they needed from officials of the electricity, rural water supply, and administrative departments.
During their visit, Mr Veera Pandian told the KIA team leader that a 2.2 acre tourism guesthouse was located close to the proposed unit, where accommodations could be made for the representatives.
Penukonda MLA B.K. Parthasarathi said, “This is a significant step in my effort to turn AP into an automobile manufacturing hub.”
Once it is fully operational, the plant will provide direct employment to nearly 10,000 people.
