KTR asks women entrepreneurs to think local

IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday urged women entrepreneurs to look beyond Hyderabad and across the State for establishment of their industrial units for which the State government was willing to extend complete support. This would not only decongest Hyderabad and prevent overburden on its infrastructure, but also create job opportunities for local youth and ensure less expenditure for the companies.

He also wanted the women entrepreneurs to explore various opportunities awaiting for them in rural Telangana where the State government has a massive land bank of 10,000 acres available for food processing zones alone. He stated that one-third of this land has been earmarked for women entrepreneurs exclusively.

Addressing the gathering of women entrepreneurs at FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) Hyderabad Business Awards ceremony here on Wednesday, Rama Rao said Telangana was witnessing five revolutions – green, blue, pink, white and yellow, and urged women entrepreneurs to play a key role in exploiting its full potential. “Due to the State government’s initiatives in terms of agriculture, fisheries, meat milk and palm oil production, the food processing sector is all set to take off in a big way,” he explained.

Elaborating further, the Minister stated that the union government recognised Telangana as the largest player in inland fisheries in the country. He revealed that some large multi-national companies were setting up their units in Telangana for aqua food which would be completely export oriented. “Tilapia fish predominently consumed



in the US, will be shipped out from the Mid Manair project in Rajanna Sircilla district. Fishin, a world-renowned company in Tilapia fish exports, is investing Rs 1,000 crore in Telangana for setting up the largest freshwater export unit,” he added.

He advised the women entrepreneurs the explore opportunities of processing and exporting meat to the Middle East, South East Asia and other parts of the world considering the increased sheep population.

He also informed that the Telangana government was promoting oil palm cultivation in about 20 lakh acres, to reduce dependence on other countries for palm oil imports.

Rama Rao stated that cutting edge technologies in IT sector were creating opportunities for intersection with other sectors with companies like Novartis setting up their largest units in Hyderabad. Pointing out that Hyderabad was a confluence point for numerous international companies from diverging sectors, he said the State government was ready to provide an opportunity to women to explore the technology space as well.

Former CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant appreciated the progress made by the Telangana government with initiatives like WE Hub in encouraging women entrepreneurs and creating a strong startup ecosystem in Hyderabad. FLO national president Jayanti Dalmia, past president Pinky Reddy and several other women entrepreneurs were present at the ceremony, which honoured 16 women entrepreneurs hailing from a wide variety of industry sectors with FLO Hyderabad Business Awards.