Sri Lankan Minister meets KTR, hails progress made by Telangana in 10 years

Sri Lankan Minister praises Telangana's progress during meeting with BRS leader KTR in Hyderabad

Sri Lankan Minister of State for Trade and Environment Sathasivam Viyalanderan has made a courtesy call on the working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) K.T. Rama Rao at the latter’s residence in Hyderabad on Monday (August 19, 2024).

During their brief meeting, Mr. Viyalanderan told Mr. Rama Rao that he had mentioned in Sri Lankan Parliament how the newly formed State of Telangana had made progress in just 10 years. BRS leader Vaddiraju Ravi Chandra (MP), senior leader Dasoju Sravan, former MLA J. Surender and others were present.

The Sri Lankan Minister said the development visible around the Cable Bridge area would resemble Singapore and complimented Mr. Rama Rao for making the new State an investment destination during his tenure as the Minister for Industries and IT. It was inspirational that Hyderabad became a centre of opportunities, at a time when the unemployment was on the rise across the globe, Mr. Viyalanderan said.

It was commendable that the IT, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors had made progress simultaneously and it was the responsibility of governments to encourage cities such as Hyderabad as they act as economic engines for a country. During a visit to Chennai, a police officer there made a mention that the police in Telangana were getting higher salaries than Tamil Nadu police, Mr. Viyalanderan stated.

Mr. Rama Rao explained to the Sri Lankan Minister that the movement for statehood to Telangana went on like a mission for 14 years and that was the reason why the State could make speedy progress immediately after its formation in 2014. The wealth created in Hyderabad was distributed among the poor in rural areas in the form of welfare schemes and measures.

Stating that Telangana had given equal importance to the environment along with industrial/economic sector, the BRS working president said the green cover in the State had increased by 7.7% in less than a decade after 2014 with a massive plantation and afforestation drive taken up as part of the Haritha Haaram programme. It was the third biggest human effort to improve greenery.

Later, Mr. Rama Rao felicitated Mr. Viyalanderan with a shawl and a memento and complimented the latter for getting elected as an MP and getting an opportunity as the Union Minister at a young age.