A summit that rose beyond optics

For the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government, the Telangana Rising Summit earlier this month was the first major ground-up event of its kind since coming to power two years ago. Keenly watched, it was as important for the underlying message it sought to convey as for the optics.

Everything about it was new: the ambitious Telangana Vision 2047 document for which it served as a launch vehicle, the wide-ranging discussions, and the choice of the proposed Bharat Future City as the venue. Though Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy sought to avoid any political connotation by declaring in the run-up that the two-day event would be an economic summit and by personally inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the link was not easy to miss. Comments from Opposition leaders in the State only helped generate more public attention.

Neither Mr. Reddy nor his government, however, is new to challenges. It was not just limited to politics; the State administration encountered opposition to land acquisition, was rapped on the knuckles when it tried to dispose of 400 acres of prime land near Hyderabad, and grappled with a resource crunch while trying to move fast on big-ticket projects, be it Metro Rail expansion or the Musi River rejuvenation. A proposal to raise reservations for Backward Castes in local bodies also ran into legal hurdles.

The two years were not without their share of highs. The dispensation implemented some of its poll promises, especially the popular free bus scheme for women, even as delegations led by Mr. Reddy to Davos, the U.S., and South Korea helped garner investment commitments for new projects.

The Telangana Rising Summit thus provided an opportunity for the Chief Minister to elaborate on his government’s plans to make the State a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047. The government made the most by unveiling the Vision document — the pathway with inclusive growth as its core. Ministers spelt out the broad outline, discussing both opportunities and challenges for their departments. While the Chief Minister stressed the larger picture, unveiled the Vision document and presided over MoU signings, the emphasis on team effort also sent a clear message about who was in the driver’s seat.

The staggering cumulative investment commitments received from a number of companies added value to what might otherwise have been seen as a two-year-in-government celebration. Though it is common knowledge that MoUs and letters of intent take time to fructify, the commitments worth ₹5.75 lakh crore on projects across diverse sectors could not be ignored.

The most significant statement the government made through the Summit was by showcasing its proposed Bharat Future City, which is eventually expected to span 30,000 acres and form an integral part of a three-tier development model for Telangana. Many of the projects for which MoUs were signed are to be grounded there. Interestingly, in a State where protests over land acquisition have been common, but where land has yielded manifold returns for speculators and investors in a short span on the back of rapid development and growing demand, the Future City did not find opposition. It is possibly because realty is a common denominator and cuts ice across ideologies, given how the credit for the development of Cyberabad or IT hub of Hyderabad is sought to be cornered by politicians.

If there was any opposition, it was nothing beyond murmurs. While the BJP State leadership described the Summit as an attempt to whitewash the government’s failures, a BRS leader dismissed it as a road to a real estate venture, and another from the party used the occasion to recall the its 10-year rule and how it serves as the foundation for the present level of interest. No one, however, opposed the Bharat Future City. Given the broad-based development proposed, the long gestation, and the need for policy continuity, it is anyone’s guess as to how it will shape. The Hyderabad Pharma City project, which derailed after a change in leadership, is a case in point, with the Congress government deciding to use land acquired by the BRS for that project for the Future City instead.

The Summit thus was a forum for the government to take stock and live up to the tagline “Telangana means business”.