The surprise decision of the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs giving nod to the ambitious `2.19-lakh-crore Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) project in Hyderabad has further fueled the misgiving and apprehensions among the supporters of Telangana State.
Though the proposal to develop on the outskirts of Hyderabad as a major IT hub was pending for many years, by resurrecting it at this stage, when the proposal to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh was on the agenda, the Union Government has added to the confusion.
The supporters of Telangana, who are demanding Hyderabad as their Capital were afraid that this new move could be part of a larger plan to declare Hyderabad as a Union Territory, separate from both Telangana and Andhra State to appease the agitating Seemandhra people.
The proposed ITIR project, encompassing the present Hitech City and IT corridor will include special economic zones, export oriented units, growth centre, and hubs of IT software, hardware and ITES units.
According to the officials of the State Information Technology Department, the region will be developed on an area of 50,000 acres in two phases over a period of 25 years and will provide direct employment to 15 lakh people.