Prime Minister Modi who repeatedly told people at Ramagundam that there is no plan to privatise SCCL has terribly deceived them by starting to auction off coal blocks in the state.
Telangana state planning commission vice Chairman B Vinod Kumar sharing the details with documentary proof with the media, said the BJP led central government has decided to weaken the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and later sell it away to private parties.
As per the Mines and Minerals Act 1957, Section 17A/ 11A, the central government has the power to reserve the coal blocks for SCCL without going for open tenders. However, the Modi government is on the spree of selling away all the public sector units including those which are making profits.
It was Modi who said the centre has 49 percent and Telangana government has 51 percent share in the SCCL and how can the central government take a decision on privatisation.
But the central government initiated auctioning of coal blocks in Sattupalli area in Koyyalagudem from November 3 which will last till February 10. It is nothing but betraying people of Telangana with blatant lies.
Thousands of workers and their families are dependent on the company and it is serving the needs of thermal power stations in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra besides Telangana.
The Telangana state which is constructing several thermal power projects requires more coal supplies in the days to come.
With the centre’s decision to privatise the coal blocks, it will severely affect the Telangana power sector and also other states that are dependent on SCCL.
Mr Vinod Kumar demanded that the central government immediately withdraw its decision auctioning the coal blocks in Telangana. He also gave a call to the Singareni workers and people of Telangana to oppose the centre’s decision tooth and nail.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao