Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate for Chittoor Lok Sabha constituency, Daggumalla Prasada Rao, a former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, said that Chittoor district had a great potential to become a thriving hub for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Speaking to the media here on Sunday, Mr. Prasada Rao observed that the tail-end areas of Chittoor that border with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu could offer MSMEs the opportunity to specialise in solar power, manufacture of ancillary parts for the defence sector, horticulture and dairy development.
Mr. Prasada Rao mentioned that having worked in the revenue and finance departments, he had a keen interest in envisioning Chittoor district’s integrated development. He also noted that the MPs typically concentrate on national issues rather than local ones, but there are several Central government-sponsored and funded schemes that could be beneficial for districts.
The TDP leader emphasised that MSMEs were known for their success rate, generating thousands of jobs for the youth, and churning out crores of rupees as revenue. He also highlighted the potential for the dairy sector in Chittoor, which grew from 10,000 litres to over 10 lakh litres per day in the past two-and-a-half decade. Similarly, sugarcane production could be rejuvenated in Chittoor and mango farmers in the Rayalaseema region could benefit from a Mango Board.
Mr. Prasada Rao felt that cold storage units could play a vital role in bringing revolutionary changes to the horticulture sector, with the boom in mango and tomato cultivation in Chittoor and surrounding districts. Furthermore, he suggested that the sericulture sector could be developed into a cottage industry in Chittoor district.
