Telangana is Independent India's most successful startup: KTR

Telangana Industries Minister KT Rama Rao addressing the CII event. Photo: Twitter.

Hyderabad: Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday said that the state of Telangana is the most successful startup in the history of independent India.

Addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event at Grand Kakatiya Hotel in Hyderabad, the minister said that the per capita income of Telangana saw a growth of 125 per cent in the last seven and half years and it is now at Rs 2,78,000 compared to Rs 1,24,000 in June 2014, according to the latest statistics released by the Union Ministry of Statics and Programme Implementation.

Other Important points from his speech

“When we started out our journey, we went to the 3-I mantra. Innovation, Infrastructure and Inclusive growth. Invention, Innovation is not confined to startups and technology alone. Even governments should innovate and that is what we have exactly done with our policymaking.”

“Our Hon’ble chief minister sat in this very room sat for seven hours with the industry bodies and tried to understand the pain that they go through and by November 2014, Telangana came out with its first legislation, i.e, the TS-iPass (Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self Certification System).”

“Through the TS-iPass, we have given out 18000 clearances and we have been able to attract more than 2.3 lakh crore worth investment and we have been able to create a direct job potential of 1.6 million jobs.”

“Despite Demonetisation and two years of the pandemic, our growth rate is at 13 percent. And if this continues, we would certainly be at the magical figure of 500 billion dollars by 2030.”

“Today in Telangana, I proudly say as the Minister for Urban Development, we are the only state to promise clearances in 21 days. If we dont delivery in the 21 day window, on the 22nd day, without having to meet any officals, it is deemed to be approved.”

“10 percent of Panchayat and local body budget is earmarked for greenery. The new local body act also makes it very clear that the village sarpanch or the municipal counsillor can lose their job if they dont ensure 85 percent survival of the plants that have been planted in their respective domains. No government in this country has done something like this.”

“We were a power deficit state when we started our journey. We had the installed capacity of 7000 MW. Today it is more than 16000 MW. We have spent lots of money on that. That is why Telangana is able to provide quality power supply to industry, households and also to agriculture. We are the only state in the country to provide free power to small and marginal farmers.”

“We are the only state in the country to complete a project involving laying 1.4 lakh km of pipeline. The project called as ‘Mission Bhageeratha’ which is aimed at providing portable drinking water to each and every one of the 10 million households in Telangana. Government of India has drawn inspiration from this and has started ‘Har Ghar Jal’, which, they are also asking other states to emulate.”

“The world’s largest lift irrigation project has been conceptualised and has been completed by the Government of Telangana in less than four years of time. The youngest state of the country has shown to the rest of the country, how well things can happen, provided the political will and the collective efforts of beuaracracy and the engineering department has been showcased.”

“While we focussed on Industrial growth, we didnt let down our agricultural potential. Agriculture’s contribution to GSDP back in 2013, was 16 percent. Today, it is at 21 percent. Our agricultural produce has gone up so much that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has given up and said that we cannot procure because its too much paddy. At one point of time, Punjab was called the granary of India. But today, we are the granary of India. We have replaced Punjab.”

“On Raithu Bandhu, KTR said that in 75 years of Independence, no other Chief Minister or any Prime Minister other than CM KCR has thought about doing a direct benifit transfer to farmers. “15000 crores are being spent on this per annum going to about 62 lakh farmers.”

“While Telangana continues to grow industrially, we also ensured that environment is not being affected. Telangana today ranks number 1 according to forest survey in terms of increase in green cover. Industry and Environment can prosper together.”

KTR criticises the Centre

The minister, as part of his address, also sharply criticised the policies of the Central government and asked for an introspection moving into the future.

Important points

“Today I proudly say, my state is doing well. But as an Indian, I feel sad when i look at Uttar Pradesh. They are lagging behind. 22 crore people in Uttar Pradesh and what is their contribution of GDP? 15 percent. We are 4 crore and we contribute 5 percent. Why? because of our strategic inability to come out with innovation, our stretgic inability to actually rethink our own selves.”

“The CII should ask the Government of India. Why is it that when we manufacture it in India its more expensive and when we import its cheaper? What is this logic? On one side we talk about Atmanirbhar Bharat and self reliance and on the other side our policies are so flawed that even if we want to manufacture in the country its more expensive. How do you survive in this environment?”

“Its good to have ideas and slogans. Make in India, great slogan. But we need to back it up with reforms and policy. We need to actually have a solid policy backup, saying, Make in India, dont just assemble in India.”

“I have been requesting the Government of India, If you want to compete with China, you need to think on scale. China has large industrial parks. Why is size important? It brings down cost of production. Today, Telangana is conceptualizing a pharma city which is about 14000 acres. We have already setup India’s largest industrial textile park in Warangal and we have been asking Government of India to support us. First there is policy paralasis in Delhi. They dont listen. I am not saying that Investments arenot coming. But they are not coming as much as they are needed.”

“Today we are witnessing a war between Russia and Ukraine. I am sure many Indians have thought of this and so have I. What is our position on making our own missiles, our own defence systems and ammunition? About two years ago, the Government of India was conceptualizing the defence industrial production corridor. I went to the then, Defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman ji and told her that the most logical destination for this to be in India, because of the existing eco system, is between Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Hyderabad has large number of defence PSUs and so does Bengaluru. So it makes a great sense of deal to have this corridor between these two large cities. She said the decision is already made and it would be Bundelkhand. I want Uttar Pradesh to grow, but, will it attract Lockheed Martin or some of the large aerospace companies? i asked her. But she said no and that the decision has already been made.

“For India to grow, support the states that are doing really well. I am all for supporting UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. I have nothing against them. I want them to do well. But our policy making has to be in sync with strengths. You cant say, because Uttar Pradesh has 80 seats and Telangana has 17, so we wont do it here and that UP has Yogi and he is upyogi (useful) to GOI and KCR is in Telangana and he isnt useful to us so we wont set up the corridor here. Telangana is also part of this country.”

“The twenty lakh crore economic stimulus that the GOI is talking about has been a huge disappointment. It has not helped our MSMEs. Now is the time to introspect and come out with a realsitic policy.”

Invest India CEO & MD Deepak Bagla, CIl Southern Region Chairman CK Ranganathan, Bharat Biotech Chairman & MD Dr Krishna Ella, IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and other industry leaders were present at the event.