Probe into coal purchases by Genco: YSRCP

Press Release

Hyderabad, January 29: Demanding a judicial inquiry into the coal purchases by GENCO at inflated prices, YSR Congress has said that it will picket the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) office, if it gives nod to the proposal to hike power charges. 

“The Government which has imposed surcharges should also recover the additional amount Genco has paid to merchant power plants and order an inquiry into the coal purchases to probe the kickbacks,” party spokesperson Janak Prasad told reporters here on Tuesday.  

With so many shortcomings on its part, the State Government has been collecting surcharge and arrears burdening the customers to a tune of Rs 32, 000 crores. Instead, it should recover the additional cost it has paid to merchant power plants like GMR and Lanco. These units sold power at Rs 5.20 per unit without any agreement.

The second anomaly is the purchase of coal at inflated rates. We demand a judicial inquiry into the entire purchases made by Genco as there are many irregularities and kickbacks in the dealings.

With these major factors having a direct effect on the power situation, the Government has been hoodwinking them and passing on the burden to cuStomers, which is bad governance.

The state has also sent a proposal to increase the power tariff to the APERC. Though it is an autonomous body it has been functioning under the direct supervision of the State Government. 

We will picket the APERC office, if it gives nod for proposal to hike tariff from the next financial year, he said.

The government has no concern for the plight of people, as the Chief Minister is not elected but nominated and has been mercilessly imposing taxes and increasing prices and Congress Party is drifting away from the people, he said.

Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has been trading the TDP’s strength in the Assembly for his personal advantage to get away with corruption charges and escape court trial. It can be vouched by his silence on the people’s issues.

The Centre has no value for the self respect of the people of the State and has placed the state in a peculiar position on Telangana issue, he said adding that the government has no accountability.

Cooperative polls are being held in an anarchic way as the Government is deliberately conducting the polls in a manner that is anything but democratic.