Revanth Reddy Seeks Details On Power Purchase Deals

Demanding that the state release a white paper on the power purchased from Chattisgarh and the former's reasons for appointment of non-cadre IAS officers to Genco posts, Congress leader A Revanth Reddy today asked the TRS government to convene an all-party meeting on the issue.

Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Reddy noted that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had said in the Assembly on November 10, 2014, that he would produce 21,000 MW of power within three years. The Congress leader said that at that time he had promised to honour the Chief Minister if he managed to produce even 15,000 MW power, but that if the CM did not manage it, he would need to apologize to the House.

Making a string of allegations against the TRS government over its performance in the power sector, Reddy claimed that the Yadadri and Bhadradri power projects had not even seen the light of day yet, and that the Green Tribunal had filed cases against 23 officers of the state government for signing clearance files under directions from the state. He also alleged that the state government had favoured Indiabulls of Gujarat, purchasing boilers that had been manufactured with sub-standard technology and that had been banned by the Union government, at a cost of Rs 3,000 crores from it for the Bhadradri power project.

Reddy also alleged that the heads of the state government were inefficient in executing power projects despite taking loans to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crores for them. He also claimed that there were irregularities in the 24-hour power supply to farmers scheme, and that the government was purchasing power for the scheme only for the sake of commissions. He said that he was ready for an open debate on the irregularities taking place in power purchase.

He also asked the state government why it was appointing non-IAS cadre officers in Telangana Genco setting the actual IAS cadre aside, and alleged that this was being done because the government knew that the IAS officers would not entertain its whims. He further said that the state government had sent back an officer of the Rajastan IAS cadre deputed in Telangana when he raised questioned over irregularities in power purchase.

He also found fault with the state government for giving civil works to the BHEL despite the organisation's strengths being mechanical and electrical works only.