Hyderabad: Union minister of state for home affairs Bandi Sanjay has urged the Congress government to sign the agreement for the completion of the national thermal power corporation’s (NTPC) power plant for 4,000 MW power generation, so that the burden of electricity costs on the State government, as well as the consumers could be eased.
Addressing media at BJP party headquarters at Nampally on Saturday, Sanjay said that while 2 units of the project was completed to produce 1,600 MW power which was already being utilised by the State government, the rest of three units of the project got delayed due to non-cooperation from the previous government.
“KCR only had to sign the agreement so that the project could be utilised in its full capacity, but he chose to keep his eyes closed because of his greed for commissions. As a result, the BRS government purchased power from smaller neighbouring states at a cost six times higher than the genuine cost of purchasing power at Rs 1 per unit,” he alleged.
Wondering why there was no discussion on power purchases in the present budget sessions, Sanjay questioned the Congress, whether the State government would at least now sign the agreement, so that the rest of the three units out of the total five units of the project could be completed.
“The Centre has already spent Rs 11,000 crore for constructing the two units of NTPC power plant. If the Congress government signs the agreement, the State government will immediately get Rs 21,000 crore for establishing the rest of the three units,” he remarked.
He reiterated that the Centre was going to bear 100% of the cost for the construction of the power plant.
Criticising the Congress for its allegations against the Centre of not allocating anything in the union budget for Telangana, and for raising the issues of the AP Reorganisation Act, he reminded that the Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd was rebuilt brought to operation at a cost of Rs 6,323 crore, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was constructed for Rs 1,350 crore, and a railway wagon overhauling and manufacturing unit was being constructed at Kazipet for Rs 500 crore.
He also said that though the BRS government had not shown any land for construction of Central Tribal University in the State, finally the land has been allotted, and the Centre was spending Rs 899 crore for construction of the university.
Pointing out that it was both the Congress and BRS governments in the past which had submitted that construction of Bayyaram Steel Plant was not feasible, he felt that the State government passing a resolution in the assembly against the Centre on budget allocations for Telangana was nothing but stupidity.
