Traders and industrialists from 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh are confronted with a formidable task of forming a separate federation to represent their issues with the Central and State Governments.
Ninety-eight per cent of the 3,500 members of Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) are from the Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad but its managing committee is not in favour of the federation dividing into two. FAPCCI is a high-profile body which is constantly in touch with both the Central and State governments representing issues of industrialists and traders of the state.
Though there are not many members from Seemandhra region, FAPCCI has been highlighting the problems of region’s traders and industrialists. The respective district Chambers have been coordinating between their members and FAPCCI. With the division of the State, the district Chambers are forced to fend for themselves.
As many as 33 of the 41-member managing committee belong to the Twin Cities and are against the division of the federation which has a history of 95 years. The federation which was formed in 1917 represented the entire old state of Hyderabad. Keeping in view the long history the managing committee wants to continue as it is.
Former committee member Nitin Parekh says it was not possible for the federation to be fair to both the states. “Just take the case of power. If FAPCCI fights for Telangana, injustice will be done to Andhra Pradesh and vice-versa,” he explained.
But the formation of a new federation seems to be fraught with obstacles. Two powerful Vijayawada-based chambers are vying with each other to form the federation. While the high-profile Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry has already done some groundwork, its ‘rival’ Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced that it was going to take the initiative to form a separate federation.
While the Andhra Chamber has more clout, Vijayawada Chamber has numerical strength. Members of the different chambers are in a great deal of confusion, as it is. They do not need this sort of infighting to make things worse, says a member of the Vijayawada Chamber.
