Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS Deputy Floor Leader T. Harish Rao on Friday levelled Singareni corruption allegations against the Congress government and demanded a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).
Addressing a Singareni workers’ conference organised by the BRS in Bhupalpally, Harish Rao claimed that corruption and political interference had pushed the public sector coal company into a crisis.
He presented a PowerPoint presentation outlining what he described as irregularities in several SCCL operations.
Singareni corruption allegations target multiple sectors
Harish Rao described Singareni as one of Telangana’s most valuable public assets.
However, he alleged that the Congress government had turned the 137-year-old institution into a centre of corruption.
“Singareni, which once had healthy fixed deposits and strong finances, has now been pushed into a debt trap. In just two-and-a-half years, the livelihoods of workers have been put at risk,” he said.
The BRS leader asserted that the issue extended beyond political affiliations and affected the future of Telangana.
He alleged that corruption existed in overburden removal contracts, solar power projects, thermal power projects, explosives procurement, diesel purchases and coal stock accounting.
Singareni corruption allegations include worker welfare concerns
Harish Rao said the previous BRS government had provided compassionate appointments to nearly 16,000 dependents of Singareni workers.
He alleged that the Congress government had created administrative hurdles and inquiries that delayed those appointments.
According to him, officials also failed to conduct medical boards on schedule, causing hardship to workers and their families.
Furthermore, Harish Rao claimed that the recent announcement by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka regarding pending compassionate appointments resulted from pressure exerted by the BRS and workers’ unions.
The BRS leader also alleged that authorities introduced a Site Visit Certificate system after the Congress government assumed office.
He claimed that the system benefited select contractors.
According to Harish Rao, neither Coal India nor Western Coalfields followed such a system. He also said the practice did not exist during the previous BRS administration.