‘Congress is hope-driven’: Minister Sridhar hits back at KCR over ‘fake MoUs’ claim at Telangana global summit
The previous administration’s approach was a ‘hype-driven’ culture, while the present government believes in a ‘hope-driven’ approach
By Newsmeter Network
Hyderabad: ‘Ours is a hope-driven approach’ stated D Sridhar Babu, Telangana IT minister, in a strong rebuttal to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao’s comments on investments in Telangana.
KCR had termed the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) as ‘fake MOUs’, referring to the potential investments signed at various summits, including the recently concluded Telangana Rising Global Summit.
In a press conference on Monday, D Sridhar Babu said, “The previous administration’s approach was a ‘hype-driven’ culture, while the present government believes in a ‘hope-driven’ approach. It is backed by economic data.”
‘No family permission needed for investments under Congress govt’
In an attack on the KCR family, Sridhar Babu said, “For every project in the previous BRS regime, there was a culture of ‘gate pass’ where the family permission was important for investment. This hurdle has now been removed. Telangana is a ‘destination by choice’ of global investors.”
While speaking about the various investments in Telangana, the minister detailed the comparisons from the previous government:
1. Investment Surge: The minister defended the Rs 5.75 lakh crore in MoUs signed during the Telangana Rising Global Summit 2025. He noted that the presence of global titans like Anand Mahindra and Tony Blair validates these commitments.
2. Future City vs. Real Estate: He countered KCR’s claims that the Bharat Future City — India’s first Net-Zero Greenfield Smart City, the minister said — is a real estate venture, describing it instead as a planned industrial and educational hub spanning 30,000 acres.
3. Warangal Textile Park: Sridhar Babu claimed the ‘patent’ for the park belongs to Congress's execution, noting it is now the country’s first functional PM MITRA Park, supported by Rs 30 crore in Central funds secured by the current government.
4. IT Export Growth: He highlighted a rapid jump in IT exports, which rose from Rs 2.43 lakh crore to Rs 3.23 lakh crore in just 18 months under the new administration.
Breakdown of the Rs 5.75 lakh crore in MoUs
The minister gave a breakdown of the MoUs signed:
1. Energy and Power saw Rs 3.24 lakh crore; nearly 50 per cent of the total. Focus on renewable energy clusters, battery storage (BESS), green hydrogen and solar-wind hybrid projects.
2. Deep Tech and Data Centres at Rs 1.04 lakh crore, which includes AI-ready data parks, international gateway data centres and cloud infrastructure.
3. Future City and Infrastructure at Rs 75,000 crore investments: Development of the net-zero ‘Bharat Future City,’ integrated townships and urban tech projects.
4. Aerospace, Defence and Logistics investments worth Rs 19,350 crore: Counter-drone systems, missile avionics, artillery components and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) facilities.
5. Life Sciences and Pharma saw investments worth Rs 15,000+ crore: Large-scale formulation facilities, CRDMO (Contract Research) centres and biologics manufacturing.
6. Manufacturing and FMCG saw Rs 10,000+ crore investments: Multi-product FMCG hubs, electric tractor plants and premium coffee export units.
7. Creative and Sports investments for Rs 11,000+ crore: Film production hubs, integrated townships and satellite sports cities.
‘The economic leader of India’
The Minister cited the latest Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Handbook of Statistics (2024-25), which ranks Telangana as the leader in per capita income among major Indian states.
Telangana's per capita income in the year 2024-25 is Rs 3.87 lakh crores, which is higher than Karnataka at Rs 3.80 lakh crores in the South Indian states.
Shift in governance
Since assuming power in December 2023, the CM Revanth Reddy-led government has pivoted away from the centralised decision-making of the BRS era. The ‘Telangana Rising 2047’ vision focuses on decentralising growth through:
- AI City: A dedicated hub for Artificial Intelligence within the Future City.
- Young India Skills University: Aimed at bridging the gap between education and employability.
- MSME Policy: Streamlining permissions for small and medium enterprises to boost local jobs.
The Minister concluded by stating that despite the BRS’s attempts to ‘scare away’ investors, the government remains committed to making Telangana the number one in industrial state on the global map.
