AP Minister flays past govt's Electricity Policies

Andhra Pradesh Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar accused past government imposing a heavy burden on the citizens of Andhra Pradesh due to its decisions in the power sector over the past five years. He lamented that the state's electricity charges have skyrocketed, leading to increased financial strain on the populace.

Minister Ravi Kumar emphasized that Reddy's administration has engaged in questionable practices since taking office, resulting in the cancellation of previous Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the weakening of AP Genco, the state's power generation company. He alleged that the government has been purchasing electricity from private suppliers at exorbitant rates under the guise of public utility, without any transparency.

The Minister claimed that the electricity purchases were made through a quid pro quo system, with funds diverted to Tadepalli Palace—a reference to the Chief Minister's official residence. He criticized how the Jagan government has manipulated coal purchasing as well, asserting that these policies have left the people of Andhra Pradesh grappling with adjustment charges.

Minister Ravi Kumar went on to allege that electricity tariffs have been raised nine times since Reddy took office, contributing to an additional burden of Rs. 11,826.42 crores on citizens for the year 2023-24. He indicated that the state's power distribution companies (discoms) had requested the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to collect this amount from the public, originally proposed two years ago, which has now been postponed until March 2024. He warned of possible opposition if the collection proceeds amidst the upcoming elections.

Further, he reiterated that the illegal charges imposed by Reddy's government will eventually need to be accounted for during the previous administration led by Chandrababu Naidu. Minister Ravi Kumar pointed out that the present financial burden stems directly from the misguided decisions made during Jagan Reddy's tenure.

Additionally, he criticized the media outlet Sakshi for allegedly spreading "false stories" about the welfare initiatives of the alliance government, attributing such actions to Reddy's misdeeds. He concluded by asserting that blocking Sakshi magazine, which he claims epitomizes the wrongdoings of Jagan's regime, and publishing misleading content is not a justifiable action.