'Trust issue started among investors,' say netizens as Corning picks TN over Revanth Reddy-led Telangana for Rs 1k-cr facility

Apple supplier Corning Inc's move to pick Tamil Nadu over Telangana for its Rs 1,000-crore gorilla glass facility has evoked a flurry of reactions, with some claiming that it reflected a trust issue with the newly-elected Congress government in the southern state. The US-based glass maker was earlier slated to set up the multi-crore facility in Telangana and the announcement was made by then IT minister KT Rama Rao, the son of former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

In a tweet on September 1, KTR said: "Happy to share that Corning, one of the world’s leaders in material sciences has decided to invest in Telangana to set up a manufacturing plant to make Gorilla Glass for smartphones, for the first time in India." He said the investment size was Rs 934 crore, which will employ 800 people. "But more importantly a strategic investment in manufacturing for smartphones and other electronic devices."
 

However, on Tuesday, reports surfaced that Corning had decided to set up the facility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. While the company said that it had picked Tamil Nadu due to its proximity to other Apple suppliers like Foxconn and Pegatron, many suggested that the move may be partly because of government change in Telangana.

"Trust issues started in investors," said Arpitha Prakash, an entrepreneur and BRS leader. "Companies are running away from #Hyderabad. The first company #Corning Inc, which was about to start in #Telangana is moving to #Chennai This Change is Unhealthy, how you can stop them further @revanth_anumula?"

Seetha Devi Boddu, another social media user, also suggested that government change may have prompted the firm to pick Tamil Nadu. "States and Cities don't run on Auto-Pilot," she said. "Significant commitment, planning, and effort take place behind the scenes to attract and maintain the flow of Investments. Corning's manufacturing plant to make Gorilla Glass for smartphones has moved from Telangana to Tamil Nadu, after the recent change in Government in Telangana."

Sandeep, a social media user, said this was just the beginning. "Today, Corning-Optiemus cover glass manufacturing unit chooses Tamil Nadu over Telangana for its new location. A stable government and a good ecosystem is the key, and Telangana has failed to grab this."

Krishank, a BRS leader, said that after 9 and half years for the first time, Telangana had lost a company that initially expressed to invest and then moved out to another State. "Hoping that the new Congress Government set things right at the earliest." 

While KCR's Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) may have lost the election, KTR, the former IT minister, is credited with having brought in more investment and developed Hyderabad as a major technology hub.  

On Monday, Telangana Congress' spokesperson Sama Ram Mohan Reddy said current IT minister Sridhar Babu Duddilla was "far more competent than KTR". He got immediate support from a supporter who said that under Sridhar's, the IT sector would reach new heights in Telangana.

However, a social media user shot back and Corning went to Chennai from Telangana. "Instead of crying on kTR and BRS, respond quickly to stop the moving of companies and bring new companies."