E-commerce major Flipkart on Tuesday formally opened a 4 lakh sq.ft. fulfilment centre in Sangareddy, near Hyderabad, a facility that is its largest in the State and will provide about 4,000 jobs.
Industries and IT Minister K.T.Rama Rao, who virtually inaugurated the facility, appreciated the strides made by the e-commerce sector, especially how it has come to redefine shopping. However, “as we go along the journey in e-commerce business, we must take care of gig workers... ensure that they feel secure and their livelihoods are not affected by factors extraneous and beyond their control,” he told an event organised by the company in the city.
Underscoring the need for measures to ensure livelihood of gig workers and make jobs in e-commerce sector an attractive career option for the youth, Mr.Rama Rao mooted a model tripartite agreement involving the State government, companies like Flipkart and their marketing vendors as well as partners. Telangana can thus also set the path for rest of the country, he said, adding how as a market leader, Flipkart should lead this from the front.
Such confidence building measures, among existing workforce, were bound to also help turn jobs in the e-commerce sector attractive for youths as opposed to the present scenario where many of the candidates perceive them as a temporary option or take up for want of better opportunities.
“We need to build aspiration around working for e-commerce channels. If you are able to take care of their livelihood, give them confidence that this is a decent paying job... [result in] loyalty,” he said, stressing the need for socially responsible behaviour from the private sector. Towards making available a pool of workforce that is readily employable the Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge and e-commerce sector can collaborate and impart training to the youth.
Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said the e-commerce firm’s presence in Telangana has grown manifold and it now has six fulfilment centres and sorting centres, about 100 distribution centres, more than 14,000 sellers in the State collectively contributing to more than 40,000 direct and indirect jobs. Hyderabad is also home to a state-of-the-art data centre of Flipkart. “We will continue to deepen this partnership in the years to come,” he added.
The company in a release said the new fulfillment centre will strengthen its supply chain infrastructure in the State and support delivery and logistics of a wide range of product categories, particularly large appliances and furniture.
