Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s chose of minister D. Sridhar Babu to head the crucial information technology and industries portfolios was welcomed by observers.
All eyes were on the Chief Minister’s selection as the two portfolios were handled by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao ever since Telangana state was formed. The BRS reaped rich dividends sweeping the capital city and surrounding areas in the recently held Assembly polls and the constant focus on IT and infrastructure development is believed to have been the sole reason for the BRS success in the capital region.
Sources said that Revanth Reddy wanted Sridhar Babu, a well-informed politician and good communicator, to handle the two important portfolios with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls which are hardly six months away. Industry is expected to react positively to the development, sources added.
The government wanted to put on the fast-track the projects that are in the pipeline and the new ones that are expected to come up, as well as clinch big ticket projects to send a strong message that it was for continuity to achieve better economic growth. The Chief Minister had made it clear during the election campaign that the city’s economic growth was very essential as it fed other areas of the state.
A senior industries official told Deccan Chronicle that at least 20 projects or initiatives could be immediately grounded to achieve quick results. Sources said talks were in an advanced stage with an electric vehicle manufacturer, who has a presence in the state in electronics sector, to set up a unit. There has been a demand from the industry to give preference to expansion of the existing units on par with new ones.
“We have TS-iPASS for new industries or businesses as a single window clearance cell. But, expansion and renewal of licences is also laborious. Presently the entrepreneurs were made to run around to get their work done,” the official said adding that a new legal framework can be brought in to make renewals hassle-free.
