Bangalore: Revanna Accuses BJP of Looting Rs 7000 Crore on Power

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Oct 12: Accusing the BJP of ''totally mismanaging the power plants” creating ''artificial power crisis” in Karnataka, former power and public works minister H D Revanna charged the ruling party in the State of ''looting the State exchequer of over Rs 7,000 crore” since it came to power in 2008.

JD(S) floor leader in the State Assembly demanded the State Government to immediately convene a session of the State legislature to inform the people about reasons and authorities responsible for the power crisis in the State.

While blaming the former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for being primarily responsible for the mess, he also demanded public apology from Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje and State BJP Chief K S Eshwarappa, who was the former energy minister, for the frequent load-shedding.

“The State government has created artificial power crisis to loot the public money,” he said and alleged that the Government was buying power at high cost from private parties and looting the State exchequer.”

The Government, which has prepared a five year plan (2009-14) to generate 16,084 MW, has not added a single MW during its rule so far.

Works on all power projects have been stalled due to negligence, lack of commitment and lack of vision, he alleged.

The BJP Government had spent Rs. 1326 crore in 2008-09, Rs. 1152 crore in 2009-10, Rs. 3937 crore in 2010-11 and Rs. 900 crore (1715 million units) till August end this year to purchase power at an enormous cost, he alleged.

In 2007-08, only Rs. 28 crore was spent to buy power while there was nil expenditure on power purchase in 2006-07, he said.

The Government has deliberately created coal shortage at the Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) to buy power at high cost from private parties.

The Government has not maintained sufficient coal stock at RTPS and it has now been citing the Telangana agitation as the major cause for the disruptions in the supply of coal.

The government has cancelled a 10-year agreement signed with sugar factory owners. As per the pact, units have to supply power at Rs. 2.49 per unit.

Now, the Government has suddenly decided to buy power at Rs. 6.50 per unit from these units. Similarly, it has violated a pact signed with private power producers, Revanna claimed.

The BJP, which came to power on the promise of providing free power to farmers, has failed to power for at least for four hours a day in villages, the JD(S) leader said.