KTR slams Centre for its lack of support towards industrial development in Telangana

IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday fired at the Centre for its lack of support towards industrial development in Telangana State, despite assuring the same under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. He said the Centre was not honouring a law passed by the Parliament even six years after the State formation which would set a wrong precedent. 

He urged the Centre to respond at least now and provide special incentives to the companies setting up their units in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as was promised in the Reorganisation Act.

He rebuked the Centre’s claims of providing Rs 20 lakh crore under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat package for industrial promotion to overcome the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. “No body knows what happened to the Rs 20 lakh crore package. Telangana did not get any benefit under the package. Only some street vendors received loans up to Rs 10,000 each,” he



said.

Responding to questions raised by the legislators in the Assembly here, Rama Rao said approvals were issued for establishment of 15,326 industries in the State under TS-iPASS in the last six years. Investments worth Rs 2.13 lakh crore were attracted to the State under the scheme, creating about 15.52 lakh jobs through both direct and indirect employment. So far, 11,954 industries have commenced their operations with an investment of around Rs 97,405 crore. Around 7.67 lakh persons are employed in these industries at present.

The Minister said the State government was committed to decentralisation of industrialisation and was promoting establishment of industries in backward regions of the State by offering additional incentives. Further, skill development programmes were being offered in several sectors through Telangana Academy of Skill and Knowledge (TASK) across the State for unemployed youth.