TDP claims credit for EoDB ranking for Andhra Pradesh

Tadepalli: Andhra Pradesh Planning Board former vice-chairman Ch Kutumba Rao on Saturday described the number one rank given to AP in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) as a progress report on the performance of the previous Chandrababu Naidu government during 2019.

Kutumba Rao asserted that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government cannot claim credit for the latest ranking since the Central government considered performance indicators of the previous government.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Kutumba Rao said that the reforms brought in by the Naidu government made AP to stand in first place in the country in EoDB during 2019 while Uttar Pradesh came second and Telangana third place. In 2018, AP stood top while Telangana got the second place. This was possible because of the reforms initiated by Naidu in enforcement of contracts and agreements, starting businesses, labour reforms among others.

Kutumba Rao said that the Chief Minister should have continued the TDP's reforms but the YSRCP government treated dismissively the previous government's initiatives. If the policies of the present government like cancellation of PPAs are considered, AP rank would fall far below. A sort of uncertainty in ruling party's policies has shaken the goodwill that was earned for AP during the TDP rule.

Kutumba Rao said the pride and arrogance of the YSRCP government has greatly affected the Ease of Doing Business climate in the state.

He said industries minister G Goutham Reddy was himself speaking about EoDB achievements of the TDP very slightingly in the beginning but these days, but he was depending on them to attract industries.