Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Assembly witnessed a mild storm during question hour on Tuesday when YSRCP Chief and Leader of the Opposition Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy lashed out at the TDP Government for taking umbrage of the Central government to allegedly indulge in scams in various sectors.
After a detailed reply by Minister for Labour and Employment K Atchannaidu to question related to energy efficiency in the State, Jagan wanted the minister to give a straight reply whether the State government had called for tenders for the supply of LED bulbs for domestic services as part of the scheme for conservation of energy in the State. Jagan Mohan Reddy further said as per the reply earlier by the minister, the supply for the LED bulbs was given on a nominated basis to a firm and questioned as to why the government had not called for tenders if it was interested in transparency in governance. He went on to allege that works were taken up by GENCO in the name of BHEL, coal purchase was made by AP GENCO from the Adanis though from the Central agency and so on. Like this, there were many scams wherein the Central government’s name was misused, he charged.
This triggered off a protest from the treasury benches and the Minister for Labour lambasted Jagan, who himself was seeped in many scams. There was no need for the government to misuse a newspaper or TV channel like Jagan to indulge in baseless and frivolous charges, he quipped triggering off protests from YSRCP members. However, Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao intervened to defuse the situation from exploding further by cautioning members to stick to the subject instead of trading personal charges.
Earlier replying to the main question of Butchaiah Chowdary and others, the Minister, on behalf of the Chief Minister pointed out that it was a matter of pride for Andhra Pradesh to bag all the five energy conservation awards issued by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India and added that as a matter of fact the Central government was wanting to show case the AP’s performance to other states.
Giving details about the State government’s efforts for energy conservation and improve efficiency, Atchannaidu said under the DELP scheme 1.87 crore incandescent bulbs were being replaced with LED bulbs in domestic services in the State at the rate of two bulbs per each service which would result in energy saving to the tune of 1117.04 Million Units per annum. Already 1.75 crore bulbs were replaced with LED bulbs till February 17, he added.
The minister further said LED street lights were being provided in place of existing conventional street lights in all the 110 municipalities and municipal corporations. The anticipated savings would be around 60 MU. Installation of 2.97 lakh LED streetlights was completed that is 52 percent as against the target of installation of 5.7 lakh streetlights as on February 18, he said . Besides, the government was contemplating to replace one lakh inefficient pump sets with five star pump sets leading to saving of around 240 MU per annum in five years. (NSS)
Jagan’s Scam Charge Triggers Furore In AP Assembly
