$25 Billion, 5 Lakh Jobs, Davos, Life Sciences — Let’s Slow Down and Think

Headline:
“Telangana government’s new life sciences policy aims to attract $25 billion investments and be among the top five life science clusters by 2030.”

At first glance, this sounds impressive. Big number. Big ambition. Big global stage.

But before we clap, before we forward the news on WhatsApp, before we say “our state is becoming global” — let us pause and think.

Because headlines don’t feed families — outcomes do.

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First Question: In the Age of AI, What Do These 5 Lakh Jobs Really Mean?

The government says 500,000 jobs will be created.

Let’s ask a simple, honest question:

👉 Are these truly new jobs?
👉 Or are they jobs meant to absorb people laid off from IT companies over the last 2–3 years?

Over the past two years:

• Thousands of IT professionals have lost jobs

• AI has automated coding, testing, analytics, support roles

• Fresh graduates are struggling for entry-level tech roles

So logically:

• AI reduces repetitive white-collar jobs

• Companies hire fewer people, not more

• Productivity goes up, headcount goes down

Now ask:
👉 Can life sciences realistically create 5 lakh net new jobs in this AI era?
Or
👉 Is this a reshuffling of the same workforce under a new label?

If jobs lost in IT are rebranded as jobs gained in life sciences, that is not growth — that is adjustment.

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Second Question: What Exactly Is This “Davos” Meeting Everyone Talks About?

Davos is not a government.
Davos is not a democracy.
Davos does not vote.

Davos is a yearly gathering of:

• Politicians

• CEOs

• Billionaires

• Consultants

• Policy influencers

• Global corporations

They meet, talk, take photos, sign MoUs, and leave.

Important question:
👉 How many decisions made in Davos are debated with common people back home?

Almost none.

Davos is about:

• Signaling to investors

• Showing alignment with global narratives

• Attracting capital

• Creating headlines

It is not about:

• Local accountability

• Public debate

• Grassroots consent

So when policies are announced at Davos, citizens must ask:
👉 Is this policy designed for people — or for global approval?

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Third Question: Is “Life Sciences” Just Pharma in Disguise?

Let’s be very honest.

In India, life sciences mostly means pharma.

Yes, it includes:

• Biotechnology

• Genomics

• Diagnostics

• Medical devices

But the economic engine is still pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Now ask:
👉 What kind of pharma grows fastest?

Not cures.
Not prevention.
Not public health.

But:

• Chronic disease drugs

• Long-term medication

• Repeat consumption models

That is how global pharma works.

So when governments push “life sciences” aggressively, we must ask:
👉 Are we building a health ecosystem — or a drug production ecosystem?

Because these two are not the same.

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Fourth Question: Why Is Life Sciences Being Sold as “The Future”?

Earlier, it was:

• Computer Science

• IT

• Software

• Startups

Now suddenly:

• Life sciences

• Bio-innovation

• Pharma clusters

• Health tech

This pattern should worry us.

Whenever one sector saturates or starts laying off people, a new “future” is announced.

The truth:
👉 No sector is the future anymore.

AI has made the future unpredictable.

• AI designs drugs

• AI runs diagnostics

• AI automates labs

• AI reduces manpower needs even in biotech

So declaring life sciences as the future is not a scientific statement — it is a political and economic narrative.

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Fifth Question: Who Really Benefits First?

Let’s be practical.

Who benefits first from such policies?

• Large pharma companies

• Venture capital funds

• Real estate around pharma parks

• Consultants

• Regulatory intermediaries

Who benefits last?

• Students

• Workers

• Patients

• Taxpayers

This does not mean life sciences is bad.
It means unchecked promotion without public scrutiny is dangerous.

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Final Thought: Think Before You Celebrate

This article is not saying:

• “Life sciences is useless”

• “Investment is bad”

• “Jobs are fake”

It is saying:
👉 Don’t confuse narratives with reality.
👉 Don’t mistake global applause for local progress.
👉 Don’t assume big numbers mean big benefits.

In the age of AI:

• Jobs must be questioned

• Sectors must be challenged

• Leaders must be held accountable

• Citizens must think critically

Before asking:

“Is life sciences the future?”

We should first ask:

“Future for whom?”

That question alone can change a democracy.