We will definitely stop loans if TS govt spreads lies- Union Power Minister RK Singh

Hyderabad: Denying the allegations of stopping the loans to Telangana and insisting on fixation of meters, the Union Minister of Power RK Singh on Thursday said that if the State government spreads lies, the Centre would definitely stop the loans.

The Union Power Minister was addressing a press conference along with Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy during the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee. The Union Minister said that the leaders here in Telangana spread rumours that the Centre was stopping loans to Telangana. “Aapka Mukhyamanti Jhoot bolta firta hai ki kendra Sarkar meter lagwa rahi hai… (Your Chief Minister goes around, and spreads lies that the Central government was insisting on meters). We said meters can be fixed to all but except for farmers. Another lie he says is about privatization. Which is also a lie,” said RK Singh.

The Union Minister said that the REC has sanctioned RS 1,57,306 crore to Telangana, disbursed loans worth Rs 1,38,000 crore and the balance is Rs 19,700 core. “If they spread lies that we are stopping, we will definitely stop the loans,” said RK Singh. He also informed that the PFC has earmarked Rs 1.10 crore loans and disbursed Rs 91,000 crore loans remaining RS 21,000 crore would be disbursed soon.

The Union Minister said that some loans were stopped because they got a report that the State was near bankruptcy. “We were told that the financial condition of the state is such that it cannot repay the loans,” said the Union Power Minister.

The Minister said that the Centre had to import coal because there is a gap between the coal production and supply. There is a shortfall of 2.4 lakh tonnes of coal and if we don’t import coal, there will be a blackout in a large part of the country.

The Union Minister informed that the Centre had completed two units of power projects in NTPC with 1600 MWs. The commercial operation of one unit would be done on September 26 and the second unit would be taken up in December. He has also clarified that the Centre would take up three more units even if the State government does not come forward.