HYDERABAD: Disputing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s claim that the Centre had insisted on States to fix meters to agriculture pump sets, Union Power Minister RK Singh on Tuesday clarified: “It is totally false. It is a lie that the Centre is forcing any State to fix meters to the power connections given to farmers.”
In his clarification ‘Myths vs Facts’, Singh also stated: “It is totally false to state that the Central government forces States to buy renewable energy from any particular developer.” “Such false and baseless statements do not behoove a person who is occupying the august office of Chief Minister,” he said in reply to a statement Rao made at a public meeting in Jangaon on February 11. “It is totally false to state that the Central government forces any State to buy renewable energy from any particular developer. The States are free to hold their own bids and buy renewable energy from any developer.”
“The Solar Energy Corporation of India also conducts open bids for renewable energy from time to time. These bids are highly competitive and the companies which offer the least tariff are selected transparently through the open bid. Thereafter, States which desire to buy power from those bids do so as per their requirement. They can choose to have their own bids. Therefore, the statement by the CM was totally false,” he added.
“The CM also talked about hydro power. The hydro power capacity he is talking about has been and is being constructed with loans given by PFC and REC, both of which are Central government companies. PFC and REC have together lent Rs 55,000 crore for Kaleshwaram, Palamuru and other projects. He should be thankful to the Central government for these projects,” Singh said.