Jana Reddy and Kishan Reddy's charges brushed aside by K Chandrasekhar Rao

Hyderabad: The Legislative Assembly on Friday witnessed spirited exchanges between Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Leader of the Opposition K. Jana Reddy and BJPLP leader G. Kishan Reddy. Mr Rao was in his elements, lashing out at Mr Jana Reddy for his remarks on loans to Discoms and crisis in power sector, then took a dig at Mr Kishan Reddy for claiming that sheep rearing scheme was being implemented in the state with the support of Centre.

Mr Rao made it clear that the Centre was not giving a single paisa for sheep rearing. “I did not expect a senior leader like Jana Reddy to make baseless statements on power sector. He says the Discoms are in huge debt trap due to which the government will be forced to increase power charges. The Chhattisgarh power agreement was inked with the aim of linking North-South grid to get required power to TS to meet future demand because a PPA is a must to book power in any corridor. Despite knowing this, Jana Reddy levelled baseless charges against the government.”

Hitting out at Mr Kishan Reddy, he said, “TS is spending Rs 4,000 crore on its own to distribute over 80 lakh sheep to Yadava community. Your claims that the Centre is giving grants for the scheme through NCDC is totally false. NCDC is a bank which provides funds for an interest of 10.3 per cent. We are securing loans from NCDC on interest.” Mr Jana Reddy responded with: “My reference to Discoms losses had nothing to do with Uday scheme. Even after state government taking over debt burden, the Discoms have accumulated another Rs 10,000 crore losses.” Mr Kishan Reddy complained over how officials disconnected power supply to three agriculture pumpsets of a farmer in Mahbubnagar district on Thursday night.

Vamsi’s question on sops to journalists postponed:

Postponement of a question in the Assembly on house sites for journalists has kicked up a row. Congress MLA Vamsi Chand Reddy, who listed the question, was in for a rude shock when Speaker Madhusudhana Chary postponed it. Mr Reddy alleged that irrigation minister T. Harish Rao came to him and taunted that he has ensured that the question was postponed. “Harish Rao told me how I could raise this question. I said why not? Speaker then invited me to his chamber, but I refused to go. There is no reason to postpone the question. It was in the interest of the journalist community,” Mr Reddy told the media. Mr Reddy said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao failed to keep up promises made to journalists, including on house sites, accreditation to all journalists, including 33 per cent women sub-editors.