4 days ago
Harish slams Cong over investing in HP hydel project
Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao on Friday criticised the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government for investing Rs 6,200 crore in a hydel power project in Himachal Pradesh through TSGenco, stating, 'When the State can't afford basic welfare, launching a vanity project in Himachal is like wearing perfume with an empty stomach.'
The BRS leader accused the government of betraying Telangana's people by prioritising a risky out-of-State venture over promised welfare schemes. Rao questioned the rationale behind Telangana's MoU with the Himachal Pradesh government, signed without a Detailed Project Report (DPR) or TSGenco board approval. The State had already paid Rs 26 crore as an upfront premium and was set to pay another Rs 26 crore, raising serious concerns about financial transparency.
He demanded answers to critical questions- 'Why is Telangana investing in a 510 MW project abandoned by major players like Moser Baer and NTPC? Why pursue a project deemed unviable for two decades?'
The former minister outlined the project's troubled history. In 2009, Moser Baer paid Rs 64 crore for the proposed Seli and Miyar hydel projects but withdrew due to technical and financial infeasibility, later recovering its payment through a Himachal Pradesh High Court order in January 2023. Similarly, NTPC, a Central PSU, cancelled its 2019 agreement after three years, citing the region's heavy snowfall for over seven months annually. In November 2024, the Himachal High Court ordered the auction of Himachal Bhawan in Delhi to settle Moser Baer's dues, highlighting the state's financial distress.
'How can a government that says it cannot secure loans justify spending Rs 6,200 crore in another State?' he asked. Demanding accountability, Rao urged Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka to release a white paper explaining the project's justification and called for a discussion in the Telangana Assembly.
