Hyderabad would be No 1 in software industry in country: KTR

Minister for IT and Panchayat Raj KT Rama Rao stated that Telangana Government dispelled several canards and myths spread in the run up to State formation over the future of IT sector by registering higher growth rate of 15.7% against the national average of 13%. He attributed this success to sustained, focused and committed efforts of the Government over the past 19 months. The Minister was speaking at an interactive session organized by Telangana IT Association (TITA) at Phoenix Avance Business Hub in Gachibowli on Wednesday.

Minister Rama Rao said that TRS during the Statehood movement maintained that creation of Telangana would be a win-win for both the successive States. They stand vindicated now as several prestigious institutions, large-scale investments, development of sea ports and the construction of new capital Amaravati beckon Andhra Pradesh. Ours was a State fight, not a street fight, KTR said.

Elaborating on the measures Telangana Government undertook for the safeguarding and strengthening IT industry in the past 19 months, KT Rama Rao expressed confidence that Hyderabad would become number one city in the country for software industry. Global IT majors like Google, Amazon, Flipkart, Uber have either started or expanded their operations in Hyderabad, Minister mentioned.

While sustaining the growth in Software industry, the Minister said, impetus will be provided for Hardware industry and the next wave areas like cloud computing, data analytics, cyber security, gaming & animation and mobile technologies. To enhance the social capital, several events are being hosted under Happening Hyderabad, he added. He singled out IIFA Utsavam on the occasion.

Going forward, the Minister said Government is studying Practice School Concept where entrepreneurship is awarded course credits at the school. A relook at the school curriculum is underway, he said. For India to succeed, it should not stifle creativity of the students by rigidly fixing their career choice right after X standard. It is time for India to build CQ – Cultural Quotient moving from IQ and EQ.

Turning his focus on upcoming GHMC polls, Sri KT Rama Rao asked the IT professionals to vote without fail irrespective of their sympathies for various political parties. He asked them to elect leaders who would be providing them basic amenities like power, water, sewage disposal system, pollution-free environment, public transportation, parks, playgrounds etc.

Minister later took questions from the audience. He listed various measures like She Teams, all-women police stations, 33% quota for women in uniform jobs in response to a specific question on women security. To another question on digital literacy in rural areas, the Minister mentioned the broadband connectivity to every household piggybacking on Telangana Water Grid.

When a participant asked about spreading IT industry to different parts of the city, the Minister replied in affirmative adding that Telangana Government will encourage it and do its best to make it

remunerative for the Software companies that wish to move or expand to Tier-II cities.

Chevella MP Sri K. Vishveshwar Reddy, Telangana IT Association Honourary President Sri V. Prakash, TITA members were present at the event. (NSS)