Jagan Reddy defends SECI power deal, threatens legal action on media allegations
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy strongly defended the power sale agreement.
With the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and dismissed the recent media allegations against him. While speaking in Tadepalli, Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday, he stated that the deal, which involves the purchase of power at Rs 2.49 per unit, was between the central government, represented by SECI, and the state government, with no involvement of third parties. He described the accusations of bribery and corruption as baseless and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation.
Reddy made it clear that he would take legal action against the vernacular media outlets that have been spreading these “wild and false allegations”. He said that if the newspapers failed to issue a public apology within 48 hours, he would file a defamation lawsuit seeking damages of Rs 100 crore.
On the details of the power agreement, Reddy explained that SECI had offered to supply 9,000 megawatt of power to Andhra Pradesh at the rate of Rs 2.49 per unit, along with waiving the inter-state transmission cost. He noted that the state would receive 3,000 megawatt of this power by September 2024. He emphasised that this offer was the most affordable rate the state had ever secured, and it would save the state Rs 4,400 crore, with long-term savings amounting to nearly Rs 1 lakh crore over the next 25 years.
Reddy also clarified that the SECI had offered similar rates to other states, such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu, but their rates were higher than what Andhra Pradesh had agreed to pay. He pointed out that under the previous government led by Chandrababu Naidu, the state had agreed to purchase power at an average rate of Rs 5.90 per unit, compared to the Rs 2.49 per unit agreed by his government. The lower rate would benefit farmers by ensuring nine hours of free power, thereby improving their quality of life.
Reddy also said that TDP-friendly media have been talking about Gujarat’s cheaper power rates, he explained that the production costs in Gujarat were lower and that the recent price quoted in the state was Rs 2.62, which reflected the post-Covid rate. He also mentioned that his government had focused on wealth creation by developing infrastructure, including three ports and 17 medical colleges, and had implemented welfare reforms such as direct bank transfers and rural development initiatives.
Reddy took a dig at Naidu’s policies, labeling them as regressive and harmful to the people of Andhra Pradesh. He argued that his administration had revolutionized welfare and education systems, focusing on eliminating middlemen and ensuring direct benefits to the people, while Naidu’s policies were failing to uplift the public.