Telangana topper in most metrics, where is MP: KTR dares Scindia

HYDERABAD: Telangana, which came into existence on the political map of India as its 29th State in 2014, was seen as a fledgling province with too many doubts surrounding it. Eight years on,the Telangana State's model has proven to be better than most States of the country, in multiple instances.

Let's take a look at the numerous performance indices collated by several Central agencies.

Telangana has posted one of the highest growth rates of GSDP and the State is the fourth largest contributor to the country's economy. Telangana's debt-to-GSDP ratio is the lowest in the country, indicating the fiscal health of the State. Even in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Telangana is ranked among the top achievers according to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman.

Telangana has bagged the second place in overall ranking of NITI Aayog's India Innovation Index 2021. It was given the first rank in the performers' category. This index actually assesses innovation capabilities and ecosystems.

Telangana's per capita income has doubled since its formation as it increased from Rs 1.24 lakh to Rs 2.78 lakh in just eight years and is almost double than the entire country's per capita income which is around Rs 1.49 lakh. Whereas, the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh's per capita is not even half as much as that of Telangana.

Statistics suggest that Telangana is a role model for other states in terms of economic growth. The State's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is Rs 22,564 crores more than Madhya Pradesh's GDP, even though MP is a much bigger State.

Telangana also ranks first among major States in the country in terms of the per capita electricity consumption, 73% higher than the National per capita consumption and 762 units more than Madhya Pradesh.

According to NITI Aayog, the Telangana State ranks third in the Nationwide Health Index while Madhya Pradesh is at the 17th position. Infact, the NITI Aayog report ranked Telangana at the top slot (No 1) in the incremental performance of Health Index.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) report index says that Telangana is a front runner in most developmental parameters, as opposed to Madhya Pradesh.

But why Madhya Pradesh? The comparison between the two States was triggered owing to what Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said after his visit to Bhagyalaxmi temple in the city with no other agenda, or one might say with only vilification campaign, on a rather rainy Friday.

Scindia said that Hyderabad's roads were damaged and it took half an hour to cover a short distance that could have been covered in ten minutes. He said that the Telangana Government was 'scared' of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He also said that Telangana was not implementing any Central Government schemes in the State.

Enraged by the remarks of the Union Minister, Telangana's IT Minister and Working President K T Rama Rao took to twitter and asked Jyotiraditya Scindia to speak only in terms of numbers and merit.

KTR tweeted: "You really have to admire the temerity of BJP leaders from failed BIMARU states! They come to #Telangana & indulge in subterfuge & bluff to further their divisive political propaganda. I dare @JM_Scindia Ji to show us one metric where his state MP fared better than Telangana."

Drawing a statistical comparison between Telangana and the country's per capita, he said, "Our state with 2.5% population of the nation contributes to 5% of India's GDP. Every single Telangana citizen is a Double Engine contributing to the nation. If only BJP ruled states performed as well as Telangana, we would have been a 10 Trillion (USD) economy by 75th Independence Day."

Telangana has indeed crossed Madhya Pradesh in multiple NITI Aayog indices. The State ranks 1st in the Affordable and Clean Energy Index while the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh ranks 20th. Telangana is 2nd in Clean Water and Sanitisation while MP ranks 10th. In Decent Work and Economic Growth, Telangana ranks 3rd while MP is at the 14th position. In the Quality Education Index Telangana is ranked 9th as opposed to MP's 21st position.