Latest news with #GudivadaAmarnath
New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
YSRCP, CPM oppose Andhra government's power deal with Axis Energy
VIJAYAWADA: The YSRCP on Monday accused the coalition government of orchestrating a massive scam through its agreement with Axis Energy Venture Infra to purchase power at Rs 4.60 per unit. YSRCP spokesperson Gadikota Srikanth Reddy and former minister Gudivada Amarnath, in separate press conferences, claimed the deal imposes an undue financial burden on the public while benefiting a select few through alleged kickbacks. They contrasted the new deal with the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government's power procurement from SECI at Rs 2.49 per unit, stating the Rs 2.11 difference translates to an Rs 11,000 crore loss over time. The 25-year fixed-rate agreement, immune to market fluctuations, and alleged interference with the Regulatory Commission under Section 108, further reflect deep-rooted corruption, they said. YSRCP also noted that power sector dues ballooned from Rs 29,000 crore in 2014 to Rs 86,300 crore by 2019 under the TDP regime. In contrast, they said, the previous government slowed the growth to 7.2% CAGR despite the pandemic. They criticised the current government's decision, saying it contradicts Chief Minister Naidu's promise to lower power prices. Echoing the same, the CPM State unit has called for the cancellation of a power purchase agreement with Axis Energy Ventures, approved by APERC. They argue that the deal will burden citizens with Rs 15,000 crore over the next 25 years. The CPI(M) has urged public protests to demand the scrapping of the contract.
The Hindu
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
YSRCP alleges ₹11,000 crore scam in PPA with Axis Energy
YSRCP leader Gudivada Amarnath has alleged the coalition NDA government in the State has indulged in ₹11,000 crore scam by signing a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a private solar energy company for procuring power at ₹4.60 per unit. Addressing the media here on Monday, Mr. Amarnath said the government had forgotten its pre-election promise of not increasing the tariffs, but entered into a PPA for procuring power at ₹2.11 a unit more than the price at which it had been bought by the YSRCP government. He wondered why the TDP-friendly media, which had put out stories alleging that the YSRCP had indulged in corruption to the tune of ₹1 lakh crore through the PPA, was now silent on the issue. The YSRCP government had made the PPA with SECI, a public sector enterprise. At ₹2.49 a unit, the PPA was the lowest in the country, he claimed. But the TDP and its friendly media had raised a hue and cry that the YSRCP government indulged in massive corruption. He said the PPA made by the TDP government during 2014-19 to procure power at ₹6.90 a unit was much higher. Mr. Amarnath alleged that the agreement made by the TDP government with Axis Energy to procure 400 MW a year for the next 25 years would cause an additional burden of ₹210 crore on the exchequer. He said the people would have to bear the burden for the next 25 years. He also alleged that the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) was forced to clear the agreement by taking advantage of the loopholes in law by bringing Section 108 into force. He said the YSRCP would launch agitations to create awareness among the public in this regard. Referring to the wall collapse at the Simhachalam temple, he said the contractor had clearly said he was forced to construct the wall in a hurry. This indicated the level of corruption in the government, he said.
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Wall collapse incident at Simhachalam temple: Opposition parties criticise NDA government for ‘negligence and apathy'
Members of the Opposition parties slammed the NDA government alleging negligence and apathy as the reason behind the wall collapse which led to the death of seven persons, including three women, atop Simhachalam in Visakhapatnam, during the Chandanotsavam festival. Former Minister and YSR Congress Party Anakapalli district president Gudivada Amarnath, along with Visakhapatnam district YSRCP president K.K. Raju and other leaders, met the victim family members near the KGH and expressed their grief. Later, speaking to the media, Mr Amarnath said that in general Chandanotsavam receives a turnout of around two lakh devotees every year. But despite knowing the facts, the government had failed to make basic arrangements. He alleged that the wall which was constructed a few days ago, seems to be poorly constructed. 'I met a victim who is undergoing treatment at the VIMS. He informed that during the rain and gale, the wall swung like a flexi and fell all of a sudden. There was no illumination in the queue line route. Fortunately, he survived with fractures,' Mr. Amarnath said. Mr. Amarnath questioned what was the need for the authorities to organise the queue line along the under-construction area, which had no illumination at all. He has also demanded that the government provide an ex gratia of ₹1 crore to the kin of the deceased and also provide them a government job. Construction quality CPI(M) corporator, B Ganga Rao and CPI(M) leader R.K.S.V. Kumar also consoled the kin of the victims at the KGH. Speaking to the media, Mr. Ganga Rao alleged negligence from the authorities as the reason for the human loss. He questioned the quality of the wall which collapsed due to rain and the corruption behind it. The government should take strict action against the persons responsible for the incident, he said. 'During January, there was a stampede at Tirumala during Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam tickets issue, in which many devotees died. Now, here during Chandanotsavam, seven devotees were killed. It seems like the government has not learnt any lessons from the Tirupati stampede incident,' he said.
