Telangana is on course to strike it big in the areas of food and meat processing, dairy development, growth of inland fisheries and oil palm cultivation on the back of the State government’s impetus for supporting growth of agriculture and allied sectors, Industries and IT Minister K .T. Rama Rao said on Monday.
The State is poised for a Green (agriculture), White (milk), Blue (fisheries), Pink (meat processing) and Yellow (oil palm) revolution, the Minister said, pointing out to how it would help spur more enterprises such as food processing units, enhance exports while also aiding in the growth of the packaging sector.
Speaking after inaugurating a mould shop of plastic rigid packaging leader Alpla and a dual education centre, set up by the firm in partnership with State Department of Technical Education and CII Telangana at Pashamylaram here, Mr. Rao said the State government through irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram and support measures like Rythu Bandhu for farmers, and 24-hour power supply had brought one lakh acres under cultivation and emerged one of the leading producers of paddy.
It had now set its sights on promoting the food processing sector and proposed Special Food Processing Zones on 10,000 acres. Over the next five years, the State also intends to bring 20 lakh acres under oil palm cultivation, he said, adding the work was initiated by the government for dairy development, meat processing and fisheries.
On industrial development, the Minister said the focus was on achieving inclusive growth by facilitating setting up of units across industries, in different parts of the State as well as promoting women entrepreneurship. “Decentralisation of activity is important... it is equally important to have new factories in rural hinterland of Telangana,” he said. The manufacturing approach of the State was in line with the Centre’s focus on Atma Nirbhar Bharat (self reliance).
Mr. Rao appealed to Austrian Ambassador Katharina Wieser, who participated in the event, to help the State attract more investments from the European country. “Give us an opportunity to pitch to Austrian investors... let’s make Telangana the gateway for Austrian investors. They will have as beautiful experience as Alpla has had over the last 16 years,” he said.
“We find Telangana one of the most business-friendly States in India benchmarking with some of the best in the world. With the new facilities, Alpla’s investment in Pashamylaram has crossed ₹500 crore, MD of Alpla India Vagish Dixit said.
CEO of Alpla Global Philipp Lehner said India was key to the Group’s globalisation strategy and besides being a growth market was a development hub. Commissioner of Technical and Collegiate Education, Telangana government, Navin Mittal said the dual education centre was a solution to India’s skill crisis.
