Union minister and Thiruvananthapuram BJP candidate, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, on Monday, said that it is due to the visionary production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Apple ecosystem in the country is not only providing lakhs of jobs but also providing modern housing for workers.

In a post on X, the minister said that the Apple ecosystem, after creating 1,50,000 direct new jobs in three years, is “now building 50,000 modern worker housing units near factories”.

“It is the largest private sector initiative to build workers’ housing,” said Chandrasekhar.

“House units are being built for 19-24 years’ old women workers who constitute nearly 70 per cent of Apple ecosystem employees’ base,” the minister added.

The Apple ecosystem employed lakhs of people directly since the PLI scheme was approved in 2021, making it the country’s largest blue-collar job creator. About 3 lakh people have been employed indirectly.

According to the minister, “the working women’s safety, efficiency and productivity is reaching new highs under the PLI scheme”.

“True government-industry partnership is on display. This type of development and progress can also come to Thiruvananthapuram,” said Chandrasekhar.

The FY24 production of iPhones exceeded Rs 1 lakh crore in February, with 70 per cent exports and a total market value of Rs 1.6 lakh crore.