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Telangana rubbishes World Bank report

The report on "Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms" placed Andhra in the second position, after Gujarat, while placing Telangana in position 13.

Hyderabad: Even as Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu gloated over his new-found glory following a World Bank (WB) report positioning the residuary state in the number two position among Indian States in terms of 'ease of doing business," the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Telangana has rubbished the report as "inconsequential" and a product of politics of lobbying.
The WB report on "Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms" placed AP in the second position, after Gujarat, with a score of 70.12 per cent, while placing the year-and-half old Telangana state in position 13 with a 42.45 per cent score. The ranking was based on an assessment of 98 parametres.
Pooh-pooing the WB report, senior TRS leader N Narasimhaiah described the findings as "biased." "This is a typical case of 'management' of the World Bank by Naidu and the BJP. How else can you explain all the BJP-ruled States and States run by the NDA allies figuring among the top five or 10 States in India? Be it Gujarat, which is top ranked, or Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh or AP, they all have one thing in common, and that is they are BJP-ruled States or administered by its allies. How can anybody take serious note of such a report?" he wondered.
Telangana Congress party spokesperson Dr Krishna Mohan Rao points out that Naidu, at the drop of a hat, has been crying hoarse about the lack of infrastructure in AP, the need for the Centre to bail out the state with special financial package and the difficulties faced in developing the new capital in Amaravati. "When the State administration has not even started functioning to its potential in the absence of a new capital and other related problems, how can Naidu claim that the WB report is indicative of the State's potential?" the Congress leader asked. Political analysts with whom Khaleej Times interacted on the issue also seemed surprised by the WB report.
Meanwhile, Naidu, complimenting his administration, said: "One year after the bifurcation of the State, AP has made an impact through it investor-friendly initiatives by proving itself as the second best state on ease of doing business. "We are now targeting the number one position and we will soon make it to the "leaders" list.
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