Politicians must agree on minimum programme, say businessmen

Political parties should join hands to develop the residual state of Andhra Pradesh and a new government must frame policies to attract investments, speakers at a round table on 'Andhra Pradesh (Seemandhra): Development Scope and Perspective,' said here today.
Venture capitalist Srini Raju and promoter of the city- based Ilabs said that political parties who want to come to power in Seemandhra should have a common minimum program on at least five points related to the state's development.
"All development happens due to good governance and policies. Investment is done by private parties. We can bring lot of investments to the state, but we will have to give them returns also," he said.

"Pressure should be exerted on all politicians and bureaucrats to arrive at a common minimum programme. All political parties will have to sign at least five points on which they would not fight," Raju said at the round table organised by the Andhra Pradesh Journalists' Forum.
He said that the Seemandhra region could be positioned as a manufacturing hub, with incentives announced by the central government during the bifurcation.
According to him, the new state would be surplus in power, land and water resources for manufacturing facilities.

CII Andhra Pradesh's past chairman Y Harish Chandra Prasad said that there is an urgent need for a new capital for the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

According to Prasad, barring Visakhapatnam, growth in the Seemandhra region stood at just five per cent as against 12 per cent of undivided Andhra Pradesh during 11th Plan period.
"This is mainly due to overwhelming growth in Hyderabad. This is the time we should develop the Seemandhra area. The package announce by the government will further boost economic activity in the region," Prasad said.