The Telangana agitation has taken its toll with Brand Hyderabad taking a severe beating, as is evident through the MoUs signed during the recently concluded Partnership Summit.
While Coastal Andhra region attracted a lion’s share of the proposed investments, Telagnana including Hyderabad was left high and dry with investors shying away for obvious reasons.
Out of nearly Rs 6.5 lakh crore worth investments proposed, 66 percent was attracted by the Coastal region, followed by Rayalaseema which garnered about 17 percent of the proposals. Telangana including Hyderabad could generate a meagre 16 percent of the MoUs signed on the occasion.
Industrialist and MP G Vivekananda might criticize Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy for the so-called ‘Seemandhra-centric’ Summit but the fact remains that investors continue to be wary of the unpredictable conditions in Telangana including Hyderabad.
Besides conducive political environment, the natural advantage of having a long coastline seems to have helped Coastal Andhra cause. Thermal and gas power plants and petrochemical industries accounted for a maximum share of the proposals. Rayalaseema has attracted interest mainly in wind power and cements industries.
Whatever proposals that Hyderabad could attract were in the area of IT, but even they have been few and far between. Even the number of IT proposals per se came down drastically, as Hyderabad brand seems to be getting diluted as an ideal destination for the sector.
