Despite Centre’s bias,TS emerged a vibrant start-up destination: KTR

Hyderabad: IT and Industry minister KT Rama Rao has claimed the State emerged as the successful start-up destination in the country despite the Union government’s failure to extend support to the State it deserved.

Participating in a programme here on Friday on ‘ Challenges of being a Youngs State” here, he said “Telangana emerged as the best performing State in any parameter, including education, health, despite an inimical Union government and covid pandemic.”

KTR said the Centre should rise above petty political games while stressing that stronger States make stronger country. ‘Hyderabad was the hub of defence PSUs. The State government appealed the Centre to sanction the defence industrial corridor; but it approved one for Bhundelkand, which had zero defence ecosystem’.

Rao said the State government has supported the BJP-led Centre in demonetisation, One Nation and One Tax and other issues, but in return, Telangana was discriminated. Despite the Niti Aayog’s recommendations to allocate Rs.19,000 crore to Mission Bhagiratha and Rs.5,000 crore to Mission Kakatiya, the Union government did not consider supporting Telangana. “When entire world was hailing Telangana for constructing Kaleshwaram project, there was not a word of appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We will ensure that the BJP was ousted from power in 2024,” he asserted

The minister claimed Telangana was emerging as a power surplus State and would be supplying power to deficit States next year. In 2014, Telangana’s installed power capacity was 8,700 mw; it increased to 18,000 mw. By next year, it would be further enhanced to 26,000 mw. Telangana would be in a position to supply power to deficit States, he said.

Similarly, Telangana would be the first State to have one medical college in each district. All this would be achieved with zero contribution from the Union government, he said. Accordingly, the per capita income of Telangana which was Rs.1.12 lakh in 2014 increased to Rs.3.17 lakh in 2023. Likewise, the State GSDP, which was 5.05 lakh crore escalated to 13.27 lakh crore in 2023.

After completing the world’s largest lift irrigation project- Kaleshwaram, which aided in supplying water to 45 lakh acres and triggered creation of wealth outside Hyderabad, the government was taking up Palamuru Rangareddy Lift irrigation project to address irrigation and drinking water requirements of south Telangana soon, he explained.

The government had stopped from participating in the Niti Aayog meetings since last four years as the State’s opinions and suggestions were disregarded. “We were humiliated and insulted”, he remarked.

Rao said the Centre should play the role of a big brother and make the States play to their strengths. Citing the Manipur incident, which put India to shame, the minister said as an Indian everyone should condemn it widely. India was culturally diverse and opiniated society. He stressed that focus should be on addressing basic issues, like drinking water, road connectivity and power, rather than fighting on religion caste, geographical barriers. “Telangana government is inclusive and never discriminated against any migrant; they all have been welcomed. Hyderabad is a cosmopolitan city and we need to keep this intact”, KTR said.