Chandrababu's Fiber Grid Project Bleeds Rs 4,500 crore from People

04 Oct 2017 11:41 AM

The much hyped Fiber Grid project taken up by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's government was remain a non starter. Even as the government claimed to provide cable TV, internet and Telephone connection at at Rs 149 to 50 lakh households under the fiber grid by 2019, not a single work was taken up in Andhra.

On the other hand, government moved fast in finalising contract agencies for taking up the project. Terasoft company , owned by one of the partners in Chandrababu's Heritage company, has been awarded contract to supply Setup boxes. It is estimated that every household will have to shell out Rs 4,000 to get the setup box to avail cable tv, internet and phone facility under fibre grid project. The owner of the Terasoft was also close relative of the chief minister.

The reason for inflating setup boxes prices to Rs 4,000 from Rs 1,500 market price was CM's son and IT minister N Lokesh. Eyeing to get windfall gains in the multi crore project, the minister roped in two more companies to supply setup boxes to the main contractor. Amarraja Batteries, owned by Guntur TDP MP and Yag Technologies managed by a senior TDP leader from Jaggayyapet in Krishna district.

The two companies will import setup boxes from China, assemble them and supply to the main agency. The total number of households in Andhra was 3 crore. By selling the setup boxes Rs 4000 each, the agencies would get Rs 12,000 crore out of which Rs 4,500 crore is being collected excessively. All this money will be distributed to the top leaders as commission.

To the worse, government will also provide financial assistance to the companies to supply setup boxes at the door steps of each household. Leaders said the fiber grid project is aimed to exploit people and help the CM's henchmen to become billionaires.