Union Coal Minister Kishan Reddy addressing a press conference at the State BJP office in Hyderabad on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy alleged that former Chief Minister and BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his family pushed the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), one of the best Public Sector Units (PSUs) in the country, to near bankruptcy due to excessive interference in its administration.
Mr. Reddy termed the BRS demand to allocate coal mines on nomination basis to SCCL as nothing but ‘crocodile tears’. Refuting allegations of privatisation of SCCL, he said that these claims are pure lies. He demanded that the Revanth Reddy government order a detailed probe into the irregularities in the administration of SCCL during the BRS regime to prove his commitment. The Centre would write a letter to the State government in this regard, he said.
Addressing a press conference at the State BJP office in the city on Saturday, Mr. Reddy alleged that BRS leaders, right from Sarpanch level to the top leadership, had looted Singareni by interfering in administrative matters, and used the workers for their political gains.
Questioning the rationale behind allocation of coal mines to companies on a nomination basis, the Union Minister asked, “Why didn’t the SCCL start its operations at the Naini coal block in Odisha, which was allotted to it in 2015? Why did KCR not take any steps in this regard during his tenure?” He accused the BRS regime of ruining SCCL.
“On April 1, 2014, SCCL had ₹3,500 crore in its deposits. It used to call for open quotations to park its money in banks, but now it is unable to pay even salaries on time, thanks to the over interference of KCR’s family,” he added.
