HYDERABAD: Sending the mercury levels in the political barometer shooting up, Telangana Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy on Thursday packed a powerful punch at the BJP, accusing it of using strongarm tactics to make energy exchanges avoid selling power to the State at a time the demand has crossed a record 14,000 MW mark.
Speaking to newspersons at Suryapet, the Minister said: “The unprecedented demand for power is forcing the State to turn to power exchanges but the Centre is playing spoilsport.”Jagadish Reddy pointed out that Telangana’s demand had touched 14,160 MW on March 29. “But some leaders at the Centre are twisting the arms of the power generation companies to paint the State government as one incapable of providing enough power to farmers at a time when the Rabi crop is getting ready for harvesting,” Jagadish Reddy alleged.
The Minister said: “The Centre is conspiring against Telangana, as the farmers are with the TRS. With its bullying tactics, the Centre is not only hurting the interests of the farm sector not only in Telangana but also the entire country.”
The State government is already seething over the refusal of the Centre to procure parboiled rice from Telangana at a time about 70 lakh tonnes of rabi paddy is expected this season. The State government is already bearing down on the Centre for its refusal to procure parboiled rice and now the increasing power demand is only exacerbating the issue.
The Minister also alleged that the Centre had directed financial institutions like Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) not to release loans to Telangana’s power projects.
“We have taken up various power augmentation projects, including setting up of new substations, transformers and LT and HT lines at an estimated cost of around Rs 35,000 crore. Augmentation of the power sector is planned in order to provide power without interruption to all consumers, even if the demand touches a whopping 17,000 MW. However, the Centre quietly has asked the PFC and REC to keep the loans on hold,” Jagadish Reddy alleged.
Later speaking to TNIE, he said the State had tied up with PFC and REC for funding Yadadri and Bhadradri thermal power stations but now the two financial institutions are not releasing loans.
As the BJP failed in Modi’s Gujarat in supplying power to the industries, they are now trying to ensure that Telangna also meets with a similar fate, the Minister said. He, however, emphasised that Telangana planned to provide 14,000 MW of power daily in this season. “We are able to meet the demand up to 14,000 MW and there are no power cuts in the State,” he averred.
KTR corners Modi on Mission Bhagiratha claim
Joining the political crusade against the BJP, IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, soon after his arrival from the US, pummelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several counts. In a series of tweets on Thursday, Rama Rao objected to the BJP for taking credit for the implementation of Mission Bhagiratha in the State and one hour power holiday for industries in Gujarat.
Rama Rao demanded to know what Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s contribution to Mission Bhagiratha.Reacting to the BJP’s comment that “More than 38 lakh households got tap water connections in just three years from 2019 under Jal Jeevan Mission - Har Ghar Jal”, Rama Rao tweeted to the Prime Minister: “Hon’ble PM @narendramodi Ji, please share with the people of Telangana on the quantum of Govt of India’s contribution to the Mission Bhagiratha scheme? Appropriating a flagship program of #Telangana Govt where your Govt has Zero contribution is not befitting stature of a PM” (sic).
He also tweeted: “TS Govt spent Rs 45,000 Cr towards #MissionBhagiratha, brainchild of CM #KCR Garu to provide potable water to all households in #Telangana Despite #NitiAayog recommendation of Rs 19,205 Cr, the #GOI’s contribution till date is a meagre Rs 311 Cr (0.6% of the total cost).” (sic).
Rama Rao also tweeted that the “double engine sarkar” slogan of the BJP had failed to catch the imagination of the people. “Does it mean doubling the prices of petrol and diesel, the income of corporates, and domestic gas refills,” he asked.