Former Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy asserted that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government has dealing only with the SECI on the power purchase and not with Adani Group as is being falsely projected by coalition government and its friendly media.
Speaking to media here on Monday, Govardhana Reddy said, the transaction was only with SECI and the power was purchased at just Rs 2. 49 paise per unit by 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, average price of power purchased was Rs 5.10 but we have bought it for Rs 2.49 yet TDP and its friendly media has been leveling false allegations against Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The purchase agreement was made with SECI, a Central government unit, to benefit the farmers and to fulfill the promise of providing free power to them in day time 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 has written a letter on supplying power and 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 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 has paid more than Rs 6 per unit in 2014 and 2016, he said.
The rate Rs 2.49 includes inter-sate transmission costs while the charge that Gujarat is buying power at a cheaper price does not count as transmission loss is not included there.
On Balineni’s remarks, he said, it is not fair on his part to speak in the way he did. He served as a minister and knows how cabinet meetings are held and the pressure in which officials and members will be. The question of asking to sign files at midnight does not arise, as it is e-file and if such issues are being told at the behest of others, it does not show well.
Jagan Moan Reddy had many times obliged to cabinet minister’s pleas and put the issue on table agenda and discussed it, he said.
TDP and other political parties and its media has been working as per an agenda to sling mud on YA Jagan Mohan Reddy since long and had leveled baseless allegations and charges of corruption running into lakhs of rupees and come down drastically. Yet nothing was proved, he said.
