*Data Centre without Jobs*

Visakhapatnam, April 28, 2026: YSRCP Regional Coordinator and former minister Gudivada Amarnath stated that while the establishment of a data centre in Visakhapatnam is welcome, the government is deliberately hiding the most critical aspect—employment generation—thereby misleading unemployed youth. He said that during the foundation ceremony, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Minister Nara Lokesh and coalition leaders intentionally avoided mentioning how many jobs the project would actually create. He pointed out that despite public claims of large-scale employment, the agreement itself indicates that the project will generate only around 200 jobs, exposing the false narrative being promoted.

Amarnath said the government is extending massive concessions worth nearly Rs. 22,000 crore along with 600 acres of land, besides committing large quantities of water and power, yet has failed to secure any binding employment guarantee from the companies involved. He said earlier announcements promised 1.8 lakh jobs, but no clarity was given at the time of foundation, raising serious doubts about the project’s real intent. He added that globally, data centres generate very limited direct employment, and despite involvement of major companies like Adani, Google and Airtel, the complete silence on job creation confirms that youth are being deceived.

He said that during the YSRCP government, a structured plan was put in place to ensure real employment benefits, including a 300 MW Adani data centre along with an IT development centre, skill university and recreation facilities, with a commitment to create around 25,000 jobs. Land was allocated and agreements were designed to ensure local employment. He pointed out that infrastructure such as subsea cable connectivity from Singapore was also initiated during that period to make the project viable. In contrast, the current government has expanded the capacity to 1 GW and is offering huge subsidies without ensuring any employment benefits for the local population.

Amarnath also questioned the claim that water would be supplied to the data centre from Polavaram within two months, stating that without completion of the Polavaram project and without any pipeline infrastructure, such claims are impossible. He said the reduced height of the Polavaram project itself makes water supply to Visakhapatnam unfeasible and accused the government of misleading the public with unrealistic promises. He further stated that even the power requirements for the data centre will be met through renewable energy agreements and projects initiated during the YSRCP government, including partnerships with Greenko, Reliance and Adani.
He criticised Minister Nara Lokesh for making political remarks even on an international platform instead of focusing on governance and development, and said the government is prioritising publicity over performance. He pointed out that despite promises of large-scale employment and welfare schemes, the government has failed to deliver jobs or unemployment allowance, and is instead continuing to mislead people with false claims. He concluded by stating that the government must come clean on employment generation and stop deceiving the youth with exaggerated announcements.