CityLightBuzz: Hyderabad: Former Telangana Minister and BRS MLA G. Jagadish Reddy strongly criticised the Congress government over its policies relating to electricity, irrigation and drinking water. Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, he alleged that the government had failed to fulfil its election promises and was weakening the state’s power sector.
Jagadish Reddy claimed that the previous BRS government under former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) had transformed Telangana’s power situation and provided 24-hour electricity to different sectors. He said the government had invested substantially in strengthening the transmission and distribution network.
He recalled that, after Telangana was formed, electricity availability was a major challenge and said KCR’s first review as Chief Minister focused on the power sector. According to Jagadish Reddy, the government subsequently expanded transmission infrastructure, distribution networks and substations across the state.
Jagadish Reddy Opposes Power Sector Privatisation
Jagadish Reddy alleged that the present Congress government was moving towards privatisation of the electricity sector. He questioned the need to hand over government-owned power assets and services to private entities and claimed that such a move could affect consumers, farmers and employees.
He said the BRS strongly opposes any move towards privatisation of electricity and RTC services and would continue to fight against what it described as anti-people decisions.
The former minister also claimed that privatisation could affect existing electricity subsidies, including free power provided to farmers, and could eventually result in higher charges for consumers. Similar concerns about power-sector privatisation and the proposed restructuring of electricity distribution have previously been raised publicly by Jagadish Reddy and other BRS leaders.
Claims on Power Infrastructure and 24-Hour Supply
Jagadish Reddy said the previous government had undertaken large-scale expansion of electricity infrastructure, including the laying of thousands of kilometres of power lines and increasing the number of substations.
He claimed that Telangana had moved from a situation where power cuts themselves were considered news to one where uninterrupted electricity supply was provided across sectors. He
attributed this transformation to decisions taken during the KCR administration.
Questions Raised Over Yadadri and Other Power Projects
Jagadish Reddy also raised questions about the government’s approach to power generation and coal availability. He referred to the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant, Singareni coal production and other proposed power projects.
He questioned criticism regarding the availability of coal for power plants and argued that coal from sources outside Telangana could also be transported to power-generation facilities, citing projects in other states as examples.
He also questioned decisions relating to power projects in Damaracherla and Kothagudem, and sought clarity from the government on its plans for increasing electricity generation.
Allegations Over Singareni Coal Production
The BRS leader further alleged that incorrect figures were being presented regarding Singareni coal production and claimed that around 40 lakh tonnes of coal had gone unaccounted for. These were presented as allegations by Jagadish Reddy during the press conference.
He also questioned the government’s handling of coal supplies and power generation and alleged that political considerations were influencing decisions concerning the sector.
BRS Announces Opposition to Privatisation
Jagadish Reddy said the BRS would strongly oppose any move to privatise electricity distribution and related public-sector institutions. He warned that such changes could have implications for farmers, employees and consumers dependent on subsidised electricity.
He alleged that the government was attempting to divert public attention from issues concerning power supply, agriculture and other sectors. The BRS has previously announced protests against proposed power-sector restructuring and has argued that changes such as separate distribution entities and prepaid meters could eventually affect existing electricity subsidies.
Demand for Immediate Action on Power Generation
Jagadish Reddy questioned why the government was waiting until the Dasara festival to increase power generation and demanded immediate steps to maximise electricity production.
He claimed that Telangana currently has the capacity to meet an additional demand of around 100 million units and urged the Chief Minister to issue immediate directions to ensure full-scale power generation.The statements made at the press conference represent Jagadish Reddy and the BRS’s political allegations and position on the state government’s electricity policies; the government’s response and independent verification of the specific financial and coal-production claims would be needed to establish those allegations as facts
