KTR presents how Telangana emerged as textbook case for startup States

HYDERABAD: Good economics is indeed good politics and that is why Telangana is the number one start-up state in India. Telangana model is unique, holistic, integrated, inclusive, and balanced, according to Telangana Minister for IT and Industries K T Rama Rao.

KTR delivered the Second Abhay Tripathi Memorial Lecture here on Friday. The lecture series held annually is instituted in memory of Abhay Tripathi, who was an Indian Administrative Officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, 1986 batch.

KTR said in his lecture that hardworking immigrants with skills made cities great and that was true of Hyderabad as well.

Context of formation of each state was different. Telangana was formed after a decade-long struggle and a clarion call to fight, unite, and strive. The scenario of 2014 thrust a compulsion for the UPA and the NDA, and they were left with no option but to create Telangana.

Since Telangana was formed, the expectations from a new state were high and the new government had to work to meet these expectations.

So, planning, statistics and data were critical to the new State. Unfortunately, enough data was not available. For instance, the water infrastructure data and inventory were available only till 1980s.

Division of Andhra and Telangana created its own issues. The distribution of power and electricity infrastructure and rightful share of water between both States were big challenges.

A number of promises were made by the central government in the Reorganisation Act, but none were kept.

“We have an extremely inimical government at the Centre which is not working in the interest of the states – especially non-BJP ruled states. Despite this handicap, Telangana has achieved the highest per capita income, highest growth rate, and we are a power-surplus state. We have built the world’s largest lift irrigation project – ‘Kaleswaram’. Hopefully by this October, the ‘Palamuru Rangareddy’ lift irrigation project will also be inaugurated.

Telangana has overtaken Punjab and is now the number one state in paddy production and is now the ‘rice bowl’ of India. Our agriculture exports have significantly risen, and our IT exports are up,” he disclosed.

The state increased green cover by 7.7. per cent. Telangana was an aspirational state – what the state did today others would do tomorrow.

“Hyderabad is the city where north meets south, and opportunity meets talent. Our government has kept the cosmopolitan character of the city intact and we have focused on the basics. We are the first state to provide drinking water for all.

For two consecutive years, Hyderabad has surpassed Bangalore in the area of tech jobs. This year, 44 percent of all tech jobs have been created in this city.”

The Niti Aayog had recommended funding for two flagship projects of Telangana -including the Kaleswaram project - to which the Centre had turned a deaf ear.

“We have ensured that fiscal prudence has been taken into account. We have invested in infrastructure to help the state grow,” he said.