Minister for Energy G. Jagadish Reddy has clarified that Singareni coal mines are not being auctioned and hence the question of lakhs of workers losing their jobs will not arise.
Replying to a question raised by CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka and MLA D. Sridhar Babu in the Assembly during Question Hour, the Minister said: “However, four coal blocks situated in the Singareni area have been offered for allocation through auction by the Government of India. The Government of Telangana and the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SSCL) have requested the Ministry of Coal for reservation/ allocation of coal-bearing areas of Telangana (Godavari Valley Coal Fields) under Section 17A/ 11A of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) - MMDR Act- 1957, but the Ministry of Coal has not agreed for the allocation.” He said that the government had decided not to participate in the auction and at the same time was not allowing others to participate to protect the interests of Singareni.
Informing that they had opposed privatisation of power, the Minister said that the Union Government made an amendment to the MMDR Act 2015 under which mines can be allocated, or given to locals (State Governments or SSCL-like organisations) or auctioned and the Centre opted for third one and finally Central laws prevail.
Finance and Health Minister T. Harish Rao said that Telangana was in third position in per capita income in the country next to Sikkim and Goa. Answering a question by Balka Suman and others, the Minister said that this was made possible with the vision of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Mr. Harish Rao said that per capita income in Telangana stood at ₹3,12,398 as on August 1 against the national level per capita income of ₹1,72,276.
