Hyderabad: The Forum for Good Governance has requested IT minister K.T. Rama Rao to provide evidence for his claim of creating over 22 lakh IT jobs in the past eight years. The Forum cited Rama Rao's press conference where he mentioned the identification of 14 priority sectors and the appointment of directors for each sector. They also mentioned the minister's claim of attracting Rs 3.30 lakh crore in investments, leading to the creation of 22.5 lakh jobs.
The Forum filed an RTI on January 5 seeking information on the investment and job creation in the IT and industries sector. However, the principal secretary of the IT department passed on the inquiry to various departments and officials, causing delays and reluctance to provide the requested details.
The TSTPC, in response, confirmed the identification of 14 sectors based on the Government Industrial Policy but had no information about the names of the directors.
M. Padmanabha Reddy, the secretary of the Forum for Good Governance, expressed concerns over the lack of clarity, stating that the absence of detailed information raises doubts about the credibility of the minister's figures. “Since last five months we are being directed from one department to another. It appears no department has details, if that is the case, where from this figure of 3.3 lakh crores investment and 22.5 lakh jobs has come. In absence of the details, there is every possibility and danger of people taking the information provided by the Hon’ble minister with a pinch of salt and effects the credibility of statements made in future by the minister”.
