The power sector in Andhra Pradesh has been severely impacted under the administration of former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, according to Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. During a presentation of a white paper on the power sector at the State Secretariat, CM Naidu detailed the significant losses and challenges faced due to previous policies.
The TDP chief stated that the state has incurred a loss of Rs 1,29,503 crore due to the decisions made by Jagan Reddy’s administration. “The YSRCP government has imposed an enormous burden of Rs 32,166 crore on power consumers over the past five years through charges like ‘true-up’ and ‘true-up fuel,'” he said.
He lamented the absence of new power generation projects and the non-completion of existing ones, highlighting that deeper investigations reveal more failures. Recalling the period after the state bifurcation in 2014, Naidu noted that the TDP regime managed to overcome a 22.5 million units power deficit and provide quality power to consumers until 2019.
“As the Chief Minister of combined Andhra Pradesh, I introduced several reforms in the power sector that became a model for the entire nation. We may have lost power due to these reforms, but I am proud to have laid the groundwork for positive change,” Naidu remarked.
The Chief Minister announced that a review would be conducted on the agreements made by the previous government with various organisations. He assured that there would be no more power cuts and that consumers would receive quality power. “The lives of the people are closely linked with power, and efficient utilisation brings them numerous benefits,” he said.
Reflecting on the TDP’s earlier tenure, both in combined Andhra Pradesh and post-bifurcation, Naidu pointed out that the power sector had been managed efficiently, earning 145 awards. He criticised the YSRCP rule for damaging the sector. “Are the leaders who completely destroyed the system eligible to be in power, and do they deserve the people’s support?” he questioned.
Highlighting the dire financial state of the exchequer, Mr. Naidu mentioned his recent visit to New Delhi, where he sought the cooperation of Union Ministers. “The people are now happy, but the YSRCP leaders are totally upset,” he concluded.
