KTR writes to Finance Minister again, seeks budgetary support

HYDERABAD: Reminding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government of the promises made to Telangana, Minister for IT and Industries KT Rama Rao on Saturday said that the upcoming Union Budget 2023-24 is the right time for the Centre to show its commitment to development of the State. He sought funds and the projects promised to the State. After writing a series of letters urging the Centre to support various sectors in the State, KTR sent another missive to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman about the budgetary support that Central government should extend to various industrial projects in Telangana.  

“If the Centre truly believes in its own slogan, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, then support has to be extended to the progressive States like Telangana, which has the potential to realise the dream,” Rama Rao said and added that the State’s pioneering policies achieved notable progress in the industrial sector after formation of Telangana. “World-class infrastructure is being created to meet the needs of industries and attract more investments,” he further added.

He cited India’s largest textile park and world’s largest single pharma cluster Hyderabad Pharma City being established as example of Telangana’s pioneering efforts. Reiterating that the country’s progress can be fast tracked if States are strengthened, KTR sought allocation of huge funds to Telangana which, he said, became a key player in the country’s industrial sector.  

In the letter to Nirmala Sitharaman, Rama Rao listed the industrial corridors, industrial parks and various other projects spread across the State which need budgetary support from the Union government. The list of requests is as follows: Rs 500 crore funding support to external infrastructure development at NIMZ, Zaheerabad out of  the total estimated cost of Rs 9,500 crore; budgetary support for development of Hyderabad-Warangal, Hyderabad-Vijayawada and Hyderabad-Nagpur industrial corridors. At least 50 per cent of the total cost of Rs 5,000 crore required to join two nodes of Hyderabad Pharma City and NIMZ, Zaheerabad; funding for newly-identified Hyderabad, Jadcherla, Gadwal, Kothakota nodes; establishment of CETP in Jedcharla Industrial Park under TIES scheme and gas allotment for the same.

The letter also sought sanction and upgradation of Brownfield Manufacturing Clusters, reopening of Cement Corporation of India (CCI) in Adilabad, setting up a National Design Centre in Hyderabad, inclusion of Hyderabad in the proposed Defence Industrial Production corridor, Rs 300 crore support for development of Kakatiya Mega Textile Park.

The minister also sought sanction of Mega Powerloom Cluster including Textile Park, Weaving Park and Apparel Park in Sircilla under the Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme (CPCDS) and Block Level Handloom Clusters under NHDP. Rama Rao also demanded setting up of an Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT), National Aviation University campus in Hyderabad, revival of ITIR or an equivalent scheme. The letter sought establishment of an Integrated Steel Plant by SAIL at Khammam (as per AP Reorganization Act, 2014) and special incentives for industries in the State.