Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao rebutted the Congress on the floor of the Assembly on Friday on the issue of overcoming the power crisis passed on to Telangana Government by the previous regime as a legacy.
Reacting to Leader of the Opposition K. Jana Reddy's claims made during his speech as part of the general discussion on budget, the Chief Minister said the Congress leaders were not aware of complete facts although they were in power when Singareni and Kakatiya Thermal Power Projects were taken up.
Explaining the background of STPP, Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said it was he, as the Union Minister in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet, who had suggested the then Chairman and Managing Director of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to plan a power plant stating that it would be useful to Telangana when the State would be divided. Again it was he who requested the then Coal Minister Shibu Soren to clear the project even as the Coal India tried to create hurdles.
Similarly, it was due to Telangana Rashtra Samithi's protest and pressure on the government the KTPP was taken up with 500 MW capacity against only 100 MW planned initially by the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Government and another 600 MW unit was added later.
He also criticised the Congress for faulting the Telangana utilities booking 2,000 MW transmission slot in the Wardha-Dichpally-Maheshwaram corridors of the Power Grid Corporation. Initially, the State would draw 1,000 MW power from Chhattisgarh for which power purchase agreement was already signed and the remaining capacity would be utilised for buying more power to ensure 24x7 supply to all sectors.
On Mr. Jana Reddy's view that Discoms would have debt burden even after the State Government taking over their ₹ 11,900 crore debt after joining UDAY scheme as there was revenue gap of about ₹ 9,800 crore even after that, the Chief Minister said there would not be any debt/loss left over and that was why he did agree to their proposal to hike the supply tariff.
The Irrigation Department would pay the cost for erecting power lines and setting up sub-stations required for Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation projects, the Chief Minister noted.
He welcomed the MIM suggestion to lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to demand national project status to Kaleshwaram.
