CM lays stone for ceramic cluster near Srikalahasti.

Setting the ball rolling for the first-of-its-kind hub to nurture ceramic tile manufacturing units, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for a ceramic cluster at Thatiparthi in Thottambedu mandal of Chittoor district recently.

Floera Ceramics was founded by woman entrepreneur Manthena Venkata Visalakshi Ramaji, who, along with noted ceramic engineer Rajani Kumar, formed this joint venture with Kajaria Tiles, supported by its directors R.K. Sharma and Vishal Rastogi.

The sprawling unit is established at the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation’s (APIIC) 150-acre site in Srikalahasti constituency.

Initiated with an estimated outlay of ₹283 crore to produce 35,000 sq m of vitrified floor tiles a day and create 1,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs, the unit is expected to launch the first phase of manufacturing by September 2018.

After commissioning of the second and third phases, the unit will churn out 90,000 sq m of tiles a day, considered the highest in the industry.

Mr. Naidu expressed happiness at the leading brands like Kajaria, Floera and Sudha Somani expressing willingness to set foot in the ceramic cluster.

He predicted lakhs of jobs to rain on the State when the 1,523 Memoranda of Understanding entered into by the State materialised.

After linking the Godavari with the Krishna, Mr. Naidu announced to link the Krishna with the Penna and bring it further to Tirupati, thus making the three sacred rivers touch the holy feet of Lord Venkateswara.

THE HINDU