n Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday said that irrespective of the Centre’s stance on Information Technology and Investment Region (ITIR), Telangana is growing in IT investments. As part of ITIR, they proposed IT clusters in the State.
He said, “Neither UPA nor NDA gave even Rs 1 for ITIR project. With the new NDA Government we asked 10times by meeting personally, writing letters and providing the information. They clearly said that they gave up ITIR, ‘our policy is not ITIR and it is not part
of NDA’”.
He said despite repeated requests during the meetings with then IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and also several letters sent by the state, the Centre did not provide any funds. KTR pointed out that Prasad went to the extent of saying that the government has shelved ITIRs.
He said, “Even if they didn’t give anything, nothing stopped. Because of ecosystem centric policies of Telangana government, IT growth is 17percent unlike national average of 8-9percent”|.
Dismissing claims of Congress over not doing enough to get ITIR grounded KTR said, “Bengaluru and Hyderabad never got Rs 1 for ITIR. Did Congress Government even put one brick for ITIR in Bengaluru?”
Government is taking steps to encourage establishment of IT companies in the Eastern and Southern regions of the city.
Addressing concerns raised by some members that the IT industry was currently clustered in just the Western part of the city putting increasing pressure on infrastructure in the area, the Minister said the Government has already approved Maheshwaram and Raviryal areas for development of electronic industry clusters.
He said, “Owaisi asked for startup program. In Old-city also we will try to get startup program, if we get any interest and land in the area with help”.
Responding to the issue of IT development in two tier towns raised by KP Vivekanand of the TRS and D Sridhar Babu of Congress, KTR said,
“IT Tower in Karimangar town was getting ready for inauguration next month. And the one in Khammam will be ready by November or December. The Government also identified 50 acres for a similar project in Mahabubnaga. Because of the Rural technology policy, BPOs are operating in Janagaon, Huzurabad, Kamareddy, Jadcherla,” he said.