Centre ‘nixing’ power supply in TS: Minister Jagadish Reddy

Hyderabad: Energy minister Jagadish Reddy on Tuesday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of obstructing the 24x7 power supply in Telangana. “All states other than Telangana, including PM Modi’s home-state of Gujarat, are enforcing power cuts at present. Hence, the Centre has hatched a conspiracy and is pressurising power producers not to sell power to Telangana,” Reddy alleged.

Speaking to the media in Suryapet, Reddy said Chief Minister. Chandrashekar Rao has agreed to allocate necessary funds for purchase of power from producers to provide 24x7 free power to all sectors in Telangana during the summer but the Centre was playing spoilsport.

“There is no role for the national load dispatch centre (NLDC) and the state load dispatch centre (SLDC) in power purchases and the purchase agreements are entered into between power producers and Discoms or between power producers and Transco, Genco,” he said.

“The Modi government is resorting to ‘dadagiri’ by threatening power producers against sale of power to Telangana.  As BJP failed to provide 24x7 power in Gujarat or in the other states ruled by them, they are conspiring to disrupt the happy scenario in Telangana. Gujarat is currently enforcing 6-hour power cuts to the agriculture sector and two-day power holiday for industries a week,” Reddy added.

The minister said the state government has approached the Telangana High Court and obtained a stay order on the Centre’s directions against sale of power to Telangana citing power purchase dues to solar and wind power operators by the Telangana government.