SECOND PHASE of T-HUB to be LAUNCHED by YEAR-END: TELEGANA GOVERNMENT

HYDERABAD, January 26: The second phase of T-Hub, the start-up incubator set up here in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode by Telangana government, would be launched with an investment of Rs 150 crore by the end of this year, Governor ESL Narasimhan said today. "My Government launched the first phase of T-Hub, the largest start-up incubator in the country located at Gachibowli with a built up area of 70,000 sq feet.The second phase of T-Hub with an investment of Rs 150 crore and built up area of 3 lakh sq feet is scheduled for roll out by end of this year," he said in his Republic Day address. T Hub is a PPP between the state government and premier academic institutes such as IIIT-Hyderabad and International School of Business. The state has notched up exports of Rs 68,258 crore in the IT sector with as many as 1,300 IT firms, including 500 global companies, having their operations, he added. The government attracted industrial investments of over Rs 25,000 crore after launching its industrial policy named TS-iPASS (Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self-certification System). The government has accorded permission for setting up 1,013 units with an employment potential of over 75,000 skilled and unskilled labour, the Governor said.Noting that Hyderabad accounts for approximately 20 per cent of India's total pharma exports, he said the state government plans to set up a new 'Pharma City' in PPP mode. "In the last 19 months, my government has successfully identified and prioritised the needs of people and its economy and has launched several flagship programmes like the 'Mission Kakatiya', 'Mission Bhagiratha', 'Double bed room housing for poor' to usher in an era of unparallelled welfare and development in the state,"Narasimhan said.Law and order has been effectively maintained with no major incidents affecting peace, he said. The Governor unfurled the National Flag and reviewed the Parade earlier. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and other leaders were present.The Republic Day was celebrated in the offices of different political parties. Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu hoisted the National Flag in the BJP office here. -PTI