Live
- Three persons admitted to hospital for diarrhea treatment
- First Star Outside Milky Way Captured: WOH G64 is 2,000 Times Larger Than the Sun
- Sikkim govt to constitute state Niti Ayog: CM Tamang
- CBI books Rajasthan narcotics inspector for Rs 3 lakh bribe
- Rajasthan bypolls: A tough contest between BJP and Congress
- Albania joins SEPA, paving way for EU integration
- Japanese government approves 250-billion USD economic package to ease price pain
- Six pharma companies to set up their units in Telangana
- The Unstable Events of a 17-Wicket Day in Perth: India vs Australia
- Dutch FM's Israel trip cancelled after Netanyahu's arrest warrant
Spl category status for T sought
Spl Category Status For Telangana Sought. Expressing apprehensions that special category status for Seemandra would deprive Telangana of industrial development, industrialists and politicians from Telangana on Friday demanded similar status for the new Telangana state, particularly for the backward districts.
Industrialists, politicians who participated in a seminar organised by Telangana Industrialists Federation expressed fears that special category status to Seemandra alone would be detrimental to the interests of Telangana development.
Hyderabad: Expressing apprehensions that special category status for Seemandra would deprive Telangana of industrial development, industrialists and politicians from Telangana on Friday demanded similar status for the new Telangana state, particularly for the backward districts.
They also pointed out that as Telangana region had been neglected for the past several decades, it would be in the dire need of special category status, not the developed Seemandra region. “If special category status conferred on residuary Andhra Pradesh state alone, even the existing industrial units would be shifted to Seemandra from Telangana. And there would not be any level-playing field between the two states,” they maintained, while speaking at the seminar here on “Industrial development in Telangana: problems, prospects with focus on special category status” organised by Telangana Industrialists Federation (TIF), Fapcci and TDF.
.jpg)
“We have nothing against Seemandra being given special category status. But Telangana also needs similar status, at least in the backward districts, as industrial development in the new state is confined to just three districts of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak,” Dr J Geetha Reddy, Minister for Major Industries, who was chief guest at the seminar, said.
Pointing out that industries had suffered a lot in the past four years due to uncertainties, she said new Telangana state would need a better industrial policy for attracting investments. “We need to develop a vision document for industrial development. Also, we need to have Think Tank on this,” she said. K Sudheer Reddy, President, TIF, pointed out that industries in Telangana would be pushed into dire straits if the new state was not accorded special category status on the lines of Seemandra. Prof M Kodandaram, Chairman, TJAC, expressed fears that Telangana would face de-industrialisation if tax incentives and special status were not granted on the lines of the residuary Andhra Pradesh.
“All the political parties should come together and fight for this cause. We raised this issue with Union Minister Jairam Ramesh when he came to Hyderabad yesterday (Thursday). It is the responsibility of the political parties to get the equal status for Telangana,” he said.
He further said: “Telangana is endowed with requisite resources for industrial development. Besides, we also have hardworking industrialists and skilled manpower. Therefore, there is no doubt that industrial development will take place in Telangana and everyone should work towards it”. He underscored the need for creating separating clusters and single window clearance for SMEs.
G Prasada Rao, Minister for Small Scale Industries, said a vision document for industrial development in Telangana should be prepared. “There is a need to develop MSMEs in Telangana as they generate large number of jobs,” he said.
Pointing out that only Seemandra would attract investments in south India in the wake of special status, J Rameshwar Rao, Chairman, My Home Group, urged the Telangana political leadership should fight for getting similar status to Telangana. “In fact, Telangana should have got better package than Seemandra as it is backward. At least, we should get equal status,” he added. On the perceived budget deficit in Seemandra, he said the revenue dynamics would change in a matter of two years and the gap would not be much in residuary AP.
Nrupender Rao, Chairman, Pennar Group, suggested that a Telangana Development Bank should be set up with a capital of Rs 5,000 crore for development of industrial sector in the new state. “We need to set up venture capital fund as well to encourage new entrepreneurs in the state,” he said. According to him, industrial units will get tax incentives to the tune of 10 to 15 per cent on sales in Seemandra because of the special status. “Investments will go there if we don’t get special status,” he added.
Dr G Vivekanand, MP and TRS leader, strongly felt the need for focusing on Brand Hyderabad while APK Reddy, President, FSMEAP, said that NPAs in MSME sector should be restructured in Telangana and Seemandra with the help of Centre.
