HYDERABAD: In a fresh offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday pummelled the Centre for corporatising power distribution in the States under the guise of power sector reforms.
The Chief Minister, who took exception to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stating in the budget that only those States that implement the power sector reforms would be eligible for additional borrowing of 0.5 per cent under FRBM Act, said it was intended to bully the States into acquiescing to its diktats.
Rao said that as Telangana is opposed to power sector reforms, it becomes ineligible for additional 0.5 per cent borrowing under FRBM. Under this facility, the State could raise up to Rs 5,000 crore every year for five years. “In other words, we have lost the eligibility to raise up to Rs 25,000 crore because we said we are against them. The power sector reforms are a garb to help those who had to pay thousands of crores to the ruling party to force the consumers to buy the solar power in the name of clean energy though Telangana has hydel power stations of 2,500 MW capacity which also produce clean energy,” he said.
Rao said that the Centre, which brought a Bill to push through the power sector reforms, is trying to force the States to either implement them or forego 0.5 per cent additional borrowing eligibility under FRBM which is outright very irregular as the Bill is yet to become Act.
He said that the intention of the Centre is to hand over the distribution of power to private players. “If it happens, the people would have to suffer as private players would raise tariff as they liked, unmindful of how burdensome it would become to the people,” Rao said.
“I have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the implementation of the reforms. The State Assembly passed a resolution and sent it to Delhi. It is against the interests of the people,” he said, adding that if they are implemented, all agriculture pump sets would be fitted with meters.
Rao alleged that the Centre turned vindictive after the State did not mince words while turning down power sector reforms. In a vengeful act, it is now bringing pressure on the REC and PFC which had advanced loans because of the State’s fiscal prudence, to cancel them.
Rao said that by sheer dint of work, Telangana has overcome the power problem. “If 60 per cent of the nation has not enough power, in Telangana, there is 24x7 supply,” he said.