Hyderabad: Industries and Commerce and Information Technology minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday invited e-commerce giant Flipkart to work with the government to create a unique Telangana model and said, “What Telangana does today, India does tomorrow.”
Minister KTR inaugurated the Flipkart Sangareddy Fulfillment Center (FC) virtually along with the company’s leadership. Speaking at the event he said, “There was a saying that ‘What Bengal does today, India does tomorrow,’ it has now changed to ‘What Telangana does today, India does tomorrow.”
He said that as a market leader in India, Flipkart should lead the initiative so as to create a unique model that the country can follow.
“Let’s make a statement to India, which is like talking to one-fifth of the world’s population. This can also be a shining example to the rest of the developing world,” said KTR.
He invited the Retailers Association of India (RAI) and the e-commerce groups to create a readily employable workforce in tandem with the Telangana Academy for Skills and Knowledge (TASK).
He said that we live in a world where the largest bookseller, and fashion goods sellers do not own a single brick-and-mortar store. The largest transporter does not own a single vehicle and E-commerce has redefined as to how we think and work.
KTR said, “Each and every day, my wife and daughter order something online and the boxes keep rolling in, it’s interesting how India has adapted to buying and selling things online”.
He said that he was very happy to hear that Flipkart has created 40,000 jobs in Telangana. But said that the 40,000 people should feel that their jobs are ensured and not at the whim of the markets.
He invited the e-commerce companies to create a tri-partite arrangement between the government, vendors and partners so that Telangana make a statement to the country.
KTR said that gig economy jobs have to be taken care of adding that several young people send him messages saying that they are working temporarily in e-commerce companies for the lack of better opportunities.
He urged e-commerce companies to ensure that people aspire to work with them with an assurance that they can earn a decent living.
The minister said that the central location of Telangana makes it a good hub for the transportation and dissemination of goods to the rest of the country.
“We have strong Self Help Groups (SHG) of women in the state. Flipkart seems to have struck some kind of balance with 25 percent of women in the workforce. I request the company to consider creating a fulfilment centre that is completely run by women, at least in the day hours,” said KTR.
He said that the company can work with the government through Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) to create a win-win situation.
“I asked how we could continue to attract global leaders to Telangana and the answer I received from the Flipkart chief executive officer, Kalyan Krishnamurthy was interesting. He said two keywords, Quality and Compliance,” said the minister.
He said that while encouraging the industries to expand, create new jobs, and livelihood opportunities, the government of Telangana will not compromise on workers’ rights and will not encourage exploitation.
The minister said that while ‘quality’ applies to goods and services that are created, it also certainly applies to ensuring that there are no sweatshops in Telangana and India. He said that he looks forward to the expansion of the industry with a socially responsible private sector.
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