Hyderabad: Former minister Tanneeru Harish Rao on Tuesday alleged that the Congress government is making attempts that could lead to Singareni privatization, raising concerns over the financial health of the coal major.
Harish Rao met Singareni Director Gautam and submitted a memorandum highlighting workers’ issues. He said government actions are weakening Singareni Collieries Company Limited financially. According to him, such steps may push the public sector unit toward Singareni privatization. Therefore, he urged immediate corrective measures.
He stated that huge electricity dues have piled up against Singareni. He said government utilities including DISCOMs and GENCO owe more than Rs 42,000 crore. However, the government has not cleared these dues. As a result, Singareni is facing financial stress. He warned that continued delay would affect salaries and worker welfare.
Singareni Privatization Allegations Focus On Dues And Spending
Harish Rao criticised the government over expenditure priorities. He said workers struggle for wages while Singareni funds were allegedly used for football events. He claimed that Rs 100 crore from Singareni funds was spent on a football exhibition match held in Hyderabad. Therefore, he questioned the justification for such spending.
He also raised objections over the bonus calculation for workers. He said Singareni recorded a net profit of Rs 6,394 crore in the 2024 25 financial year. However, he alleged that the government considered only Rs 2,360 crore for bonus calculation. As a result, workers received a bonus of 34 percent. He said this decision caused injustice to employees.
Harish Rao recalled that under the previous BRS government, bonuses were paid on total profits. He alleged that the present government imposed a 50 percent cut. Hence, he accused the administration of betraying Singareni workers. He added that such actions strengthen fears of Singareni privatization.
The former minister also questioned the status of the Indiramma housing scheme. He said there is no clarity on its implementation for the poor in Telangana. Meanwhile, he warned that if BRS returns to power, it will order a probe into football related expenditures. He said those responsible for irregularities would face legal action.
Harish Rao further spoke on the issue of journalist accreditation cards. He said desk journalists staged protests across district collectorates. He criticised the arrest of journalists who demanded their rights. Therefore, he demanded their immediate release.
He said the previous BRS government issued over 26,000 accreditation cards and created a Rs 100 crore corpus fund. However, he alleged that the Congress government reduced the number to 10,000. He demanded accreditation cards for all eligible journalists. He also urged the government to amend GO number 252 immediately.
The Singareni privatization allegations have triggered political debate in Telangana. Meanwhile, the state government has not responded to these claims so far.
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