Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday accused opposition parties of spreading deliberate false propaganda about the state’s industrial policy.
Minister defends industrial policy goals
At the ‘Face-to-Face with Ministers’ programme in Gandhi Bhavan, Reddy met citizens and addressed public grievances with officials. Later, during a press conference, he clarified that the policy aims to relocate polluting industries beyond the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to reduce Hyderabad’s pollution levels.
“There is no scope for any scam in this policy. It is highly transparent,” he said. He alleged that opposition parties, especially the BJP and BRS, had misunderstood the policy framework.
Reddy said the policy was not new and had been discussed even during previous governments. “This is not a new policy brought by us; it existed earlier as well,” he said, accusing opposition leaders of twisting facts for political gain.
BRS warned against rollback promises
He criticised the BRS for promising to reverse the policy if elected. “They are not coming to power, and the policy will not be changed,” he declared.
As one of the policy’s architects, Reddy said the current plan is designed to boost state revenue and improve environmental standards. He accused the opposition of rejecting government initiatives only because of their growing public approval.
Counterattack on scam allegations
Responding to BRS claims of a ₹50,000-crore scam in power plant construction, Reddy denied any corruption. “Not even a ₹50,000 scam has taken place,” he asserted.
Instead, he blamed the previous government for irregularities in the Bhadradri Kothagudem Power Project. He alleged that outdated, unused equipment was purchased from India Bulls and installed using sub-critical technology.
“That equipment made the plant practically unusable and imposed a huge financial burden on the people,” he said. “Why was outdated technology used?”