Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government would not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR contribution pledged by industrialist Gautam Adani for the proposed Young India Skills University in the state.
The decision follows closely on the heels of a US court's indictment of the Adani Group chairman. The Chief Minister's move signals the state's stance in light of recent developments surrounding the business tycoon.
Revanth Reddy, during a press conference clarified that the state government has decided not to accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation offered by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University.
The decision, he explained, was taken to avoid any unwarranted controversy in the wake of the ongoing allegations against the Adani Group.
Reddy emphasised that the Telangana government has not accepted any contributions, including from the Adani Group, towards the establishment of the skills university.
"I, along with my Cabinet colleagues, do not want to be drawn into unnecessary debates or situations that could harm the reputation of Telangana or my own," Reddy said.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
After Adani was indicted in the US, the Telangana government and Chief Minister Reddy came under criticism from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the BJP for continuing to woo the group to invest in the state.
Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
In response to BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao’s remarks that the previous BRS government had not allowed the Adani Group into Telangana, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy showcased photographs of former CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao and KTR with Gautam Adani to the media.
Reddy also presented a list of investment proposals from the Adani Group that, according to reports, were approved by the BRS government.
(With inputs from PTI)
