If TS can think globally then why can't the GoI, questions KTR

Hyderabad: IT Minister KTR on Monday stated that States needs to be incentivised in order to develop the country. He suggested that India has to think globally in order to compete with foreign parties.

"When Telangana can do it, why can't the Central government do it?" questioned KTR.

The IT Minister also stated there were five revolutions going on in the State. A green revolution, referring to growth in agriculture and food processing, a blue revolution in aquaculture with the establishment of the country's largest aquahub in Hyderabad, a pink revolution, referring to animal husbandry and meat processing, and a white revolution in terms of the dairy industry and a yellow revolution denoting growth in the production of edible oils.

KTR's statements came at the launch of the annual Report 2021-2022 for the Industries Department at Somajiguda in Hyderabad. He added thanks to Telangana's multi stake-holder approach as the State is growing by leaps and bounds.

"Telangana's GSDP was Rs. 11.54 lakh crores with a growth rate of 19.1%. Our share in the national GDP has increased to 5.0%," he said.

"There was a time in 2014 when the State was newly formed, the industrial ecosystem was in trouble. 8 years later, wherever we go, we are always mentioned in the same breath as some of the most progressive states of the country," added the IT Minister.

He informed that no other Chief Minister in the country had the guts, gumption and audacity to take industrial red tape head-on. "We developed the TS iPass, introduced deemed approvals, and many other ways to escape the paperwork and clearances that an interested investor would have to work through."

KTR recalled that in the last seven years, Telangana has received Rs 2.32 lakh crores in investments, processed 19,000 clearances, and generated 1.6 million jobs.

"We will work to encourage the smallest entrepreneurs for the State, nano-preneurs, Agri-preneurs, street-preneurs and also Dalit entrepreneurs," he added.

Adding that infrastructure is very important, KTR stated that India is still a third world country. "If Telangana, the youngest state in India can create the world's largest pharma cluster, textile park, and medical devices park, why can't the government at the Centre think on the same scale?" he asked.

He added that the Central government has to incentivise well-performing states to encourage entrepreneurs and industrialists. "If the PM truly believes in co-operative federalism, states have to be incentivised. Strong states will create a strong country," he said.

KTR added that the Centre has to support states irrespective of their political affiliations. "Sure, we will criticise. We are a democracy and it is necessary for growth. Economics has to take centre stage, and politics has to take a back seat," he expressed.

Telangana through TS-iPASS attracted Rs 17,867 crores of investment in FY 2021-22 through 3938 new industries and created employment for 96,863 people. It attracted cumulative investments of Rs 2,32,311 Cr creating 16.48 lakh jobs.

TSIIC developed 13 new Industrial Parks and allotted 810 acres of land to 526 industries with an expected investment of Rs 6,123 cr and employment of 5626 during FY2021-22.

Life Sciences and Pharma sector attracted 215 investment proposals in 2021-22 worth Rs 6,400 cr, with proposed employment of 34,000.

Food Processing – Telangana state food processing policy was approved with an objective to encourage the creation of food processing enterprises across 10,000 acres of special food processing zones.

Automotive Sector – the government of Telangana launched the Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Systems policy in Sept 2020, post which the government has signed up with many domestic and international companies and the total projected investment figure is upwards of Rs 5000 cr.