Telangana getting raw deal from NDA government: KTR

Adarsh Nagar: A progressive State like Telangana has not received due support from the NDA government at the Centre during the last six-and-a-half years, IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao claimed on Friday and sought support for such States to realise the goal of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat.' Referring to the NDA government's slogan of Team India, he said "things will not happen" unless the intention translates into real action and the Centre and states work together, though the motive was very noble.

"But the one grievance I do have, Telangana has been, as I pointed out, a very progressive state, a state which has continued to encourage business." "Unfortunately, the kind of support that we have anticipated, the kind of support we expected from the Government of India in the last six and half years, has not come about," he said, addressing a meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.

Appealing to the Centre to rethink on priorities, Rama Rao, the working president of the ruling TRS, said slogans like 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', 'Make in India', 'Self-Reliant India' were great slogans but the country was still not really making in India and is one that assembles without manufacturing much.

Recalling that Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were promised, at the time of bifurcation of undivided AP, industrial incentives to further create employment opportunities for the youth in the two States, Rama Rao alleged no special incentive has been given. No announcement has been made though it was included in the AP Reorganisation Act, he said. Information Technology Investment Regions (ITIR) were announced to be set up in Telangana and other states during the previous UPA rule, but it has been scrapped despite numerous requests by the state government, he claimed.

Had the ITIR been implemented, it would have led to creation of couple of lakhs of jobs, Rama Rao said. He cited the examples of an integrated steel plant and a rail coach factory for promises allegedly unkept by the NDA government.

"India talks of competing with China as large manufacturing countries in the world. How do you compete with China? Unless you achieve economies of scale, unless you think on scale, you cannot compete with a large manufacturing country like China," he said. Quoting a medical devices manufacturer who imports equipment from China and sells in India after putting his label as it cost him less compared to manufacturing in India, he said import duties in the country are "ridiculous."

He appealed to the Centre to "think on scale" and support governments which have acquired land. Saying that Telangana has already acquired over 12,000 acres of land for a pharma park, he asked why the Centre would not support the State.

"Are we not part of India?" he asked. Economics should supersede politics in the interest of the country and political considerations should not come in the way of sanctioning strategic projects, he said. "...I would like to tell the Central Government, Team India that you talk about in national interest, make sure that you deliver on that promise and help progressive states like Telangana continue to grow with the support of industry," he said. Rama Rao also spoke about the rapid strides made by Telangana in IT and other areas.