Minister for Energy G. Jagadish Reddy has observed that the order issued by the Ministry of Power (MoP) asking the Telangana Discoms to pay ₹6,757 crore dues to APGenco as an act of vengeance of the Centre against Telangana.
In a statement issued late on Monday, he said the Centre’s recent actions were part of its conspiracy against Telangana to force it into darkness as it was unable to digest the strides made by the State in the energy sector by giving uninterrupted power supply to all categories of consumers including 24×7 free power to agriculture pumpsets.
He pointed out that Telangana had brought the matter of AP utilities’ dues to the State several times, but the Centre had failed to act on it. He alleged that Andhra Pradesh had heaped injustice on Telangana in the matter of implementing power purchase agreements as also in the matter of power dues.
Mr. Jagadish Reddy said at a time when the entire country including Prime Minister’s native Gujarat was forced into energy crisis earlier this year, Telangana was able to give uninterrupted power supply to all categories of consumers. He alleged that the Centre was doing all this to force the State to stop 24×7 free power being given to agriculture sector.
He alleged that the Centre was adopting similar tactics in the matter of water share of Telangana in Krishna and Godavari rivers.