Andhra: YSR Congress defends SECI deal, debunks Adani link allegations

Nellore (Andhra Pradesh) [India], November 25 (ANI): Former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy defended the YSR Congress party (YSRCP) government's power purchase policies asserting that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government has dealt only with the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) and not with Adani Group as is being "falsely projected" by coalition government and its "friendly media".
Speaking to media here on Monday, he claimed, the transaction was only with SECI and the power was purchased at just Rs 2.49 paise per unit by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government while Chandrababu Naidu during his term has bought power at the rate of Rs 4.5 and even at a higher price.
"During 2014-19, the average price of power purchased was Rs 5.10 but we bought it for Rs 2.49 yet TDP and its friendly media have been levelling false allegations against YS Jagan Mohan Reddy," he said.
The purchase agreement was made with SECI, a Central government unit, to benefit the farmers and to fulfil the promise of providing free power to them in the daytime for nine hours and improve their standard of living. The decision was not taken in a huff but due procedures were followed, he said.
"On September 15, 2021, SECI wrote a letter on supplying power, the letter was discussed in the cabinet and an expert committee had gone through it and then it was approved by the cabinet. It was not done in a hurry as being propagated by Chandrababu Naidu and his friendly media," he said adding that TDP has purchased power at a much higher price running up to Rs 6.99 per unit.
The agreement with SECI was done to benefit the farmers and was in a transparent manner. While there were 11 PPAs before 2014, Chandrababu Naidu term had signed 35 PPAs and paid more than Rs 6 per unit in 2014 and 2016, he claimed.
The rate Rs 2.49 includes inter-state transmission costs while the charge that Gujarat is buying power at a cheaper price does not count as transmission loss is not included there, he said.
On former Andhra Pradesh power minister Balineni Srinivas Reddy's remarks, he said, it was not fair on his part to speak in the way he did. "He (Balineni) served as a minister and knows how cabinet meetings are held and the pressure under which officials and members will be. The question of asking to sign files at midnight does not arise, as it is an e-file and if such issues are being told at the behest of others, it does not show well."
YS Jagan Moan Reddy had many times obliged to cabinet minister's pleas and put the issue on the table agenda and discussed it, he said.
"Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and other political parties and its media have been working as per an agenda to sling mud on YA Jagan Mohan Reddy for a long and have levelled baseless allegations and charges of corruption running into lakhs of rupees and come down drastically. Yet nothing was proved," he said. (ANI)