Unleash industrial potential of Krishna district: Sivaji

Says elected representatives opposed land acquisition for several projects

The Krishna district will develop industrially if its potential was unleashed and looked beyond commodity market, opined former member of Rajya Sabha Yelamanchili Sivaji.

The district has not developed industrially for many reasons, prime reason being that the Central Government never announcing Krishna as industrially backward district.

The elected representatives were to be blamed equally, he said. They created stumbling blocks by opposing land acquisitions for many projects, including Gannavaram Airport, flyovers, four-laning of Vijayawada and Machilipatnam Road, he said delivering JRD Tata Memorial Lecture on ‘Industrial Development in Krishna District’ here on Monday.

The JRD Tata Industrial Estate Association organised 109th birth anniversary celebrations of former industrialist JRD Tata. The association presented ‘The Best Entrepreneur Award’ to Tenali-based industrialist Kumar Group of Companies CMD K. Subramanyam.

Mr. Sivaji said that the Krishna district did not develop during the last 60 years and all the industrial units were shifted to Hyderabad or other cities. The growth came to a halt soon after the mining exports from Bandar port stopped due to conversion of railway line from narrow to broad gauge, he observed. The gauge, however, remained `narrow’ between Guntur and Rayalaseema. So, they began exporting from Chennai, he added.

The Government decisions also hampered the growth here and industries thus migrated to Hyderabad.

The city, which used to be hub of cinema, newspapers, political and other activity, has lost its sheen with every sector shifting its headquarters, he said, adding, “Opportunity is knocking at your doorsteps, don’t look for shorter gains from real estate. Have vision and develop industrially.”

Mr. Subramanyam said that entrepreneurs should emulate J.R.D. Tata and follow his philosophy. Quoting Tata, he said that the customer satisfaction, ethics and employee welfare were three pillars of success of any entrepreneur. Same principles were being followed at Kumar Group, he said.

Association president V.V. Neeraj Kumar, secretary M. Srinivas Prasad, ILA Chairman P. Ravi Kumar, SBI AGM P.B. Soundar Rajan and others spoke.