In India, Vibrant Gujarat summit is a grand affair. The organizers of the summit flaunt their number of investors participating and the announcements of MOUs as well as the rupee equivalent of business deals signed between the Gujarat government and business organizations. It is to be observed that after one such summit, the Gujarat government had to drop 3,000 MOUs as they had failed to materialize for various reasons.
For three consecutive years — 2016, 2017 and 2018 Andhra Pradesh organized ‘Partnership Summit and Sunrise Andhra Pradesh Investment Meet’ in Vishakhapatnam to establish mega projects. In those summits, 327 Memoranda of Understanding were signed, though only 13% of those businesses started their operations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which wants to draw a parallel between the so-called bold reforms of the Narendra Modi government and Telangana’s business deals, must note that Ford, Harley Davidson, United Motors, General Motors, Datsun and Fiat exited India, while for Telangana 2023 has kick-started with Rs.36,000 crore investments by Amazon Web Services and Rs 16,000 crore investment to expand Microsoft Data Centers in Telangana.
The BJP disowns its failures, but does not lose an opportunity to demean states and judge their performances without appreciating the fact that the states, including Telangana, are an integral part of India. The success stories of select states are orchestrated to serve as a failed narrative. The BJP wants to judge states’ performances based on the value of crores of rupees announced. People wonder when BJP will come out of the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh comparison. For that matter, people of AP have been lauding Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao’s conviction and persuasion to ensure he brings home investments. The BJP has chosen Andhra Pradesh to mock Telangana’s investments based on MOUs signed during the World Economic Forum summit at Davos in 2022.
While Andhra Pradesh MOUs were three power projects –Greenko, Adani and Aurobindo Reality; Telangana, instead of listing out power projects, focused on multiple dimensions of growth in 2022 — from Pharma to Food processing, Rail Coach factory to Diagnostic kits, Plastic pipes to Auto testing tracks, with companies like Hyundai, Stadler Rail Servo, Lulu Group, Ferring Pharma, Schneider Electric, Chemo Pharma, EMPE Diagnostics and Pfaudler coming forward to invest in Telangana. If someone with minimum common sense towards business and economy tries to evaluate the growth, he would understand that Telangana is one state which is a business hub for multi-dimensional factors such as Pharma, Aerospace, Rail, Automobile, Batteries, Dairy and Fisheries, Life Sciences, Artificial Intelligence, Data Security and Food Processing.
Since 2014 Telangana has come a long way. Except for those powerful decision makers at the Centre who have failed to deliver a Defence Corridor even though Boeing’s parts are manufactured at Hyderabad, request for funds to Pharma City was neglected even though Hyderabad is fondly called as Vaccine Capital. ITIR was scrapped; else, Hyderabad IT firms could have employed over two million youth. Still, the Government of Telangana did not stop. Not only Hyderabad, but Information and Technology has reached various districts, including IT hubs functioning at Warangal, Khammam etc. There are companies like NTT Data, which have established their operations at districts like Adilabad and have recruited more than 100 youngsters. Yet, BJP cannot see Telangana as a success startup.
While BJP in haste often attempts to strategically tarnish the abilities of Minister KT Rama Rao, he returns home from Davos grabbing Rs 21,000 crore of investments in his kitty. This time biggies like Microsoft, Apollo, Airtel, Eurofins, Inspire Brands, Procter Gamble, Global Capabilities Centre , Allox have shown their interest to do business with Telangana. Davos has been fruitful for Telangana and according to KCore analytics amidst several global leaders KTR has been hailed as one of the Top 30 Influencers for World Economic Forum 2023. It is a matter of pride for both Telangana and India for having a Minister who competes on the strength of his government’s principle to ‘meet the offer or beat the offer’. When the Government of India fails to support States, and when states like Telangana can achieve globally, the BJP does not hold any right to rank the success or belittle Telangana.
(The author is Chairperson TSMDC)
