Home-grown handset maker Karbonn Mobiles Sunday commenced operation at its Tirupati manufacturing unit, set up with an investment of Rs 200 crore. "The India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) is glad to declare the set up of 269th manufacturing factory by Karbonn Mobiles at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh," a company statement said.

The facility is set up at Sri Venkateshwara Mobile and Electronics Manufacturing Hub under the aegis of Andhra Pradesh government," ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said in the statement.

The total investment is Rs 200 crore, while the production capacity of the facility stands at 1 million cell phones per month, the statement said.

"The facility will be set up phase wise and will be spread in a zone of 1 lakh square ft. The facility will be rewarding work to more than 1,000 employees," Karbonn Mobiles Chairman and ICEA Southern Zone Chairman Sudhir Hasija said.

The facility was inaugurated by Mohindroo.

The government policies and specific interventions along with the hard work of global and indigenous entrepreneurs have helped India attain the No 2 mobile handset manufacturing destination tag, Mohindroo said.

The assembling plant will be inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh IT and Panchayati Raj minister Nara Lokesh.