‘State has bought high-cost power worth Rs. 17,450 cr. in the last six years’
The former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Legislative Assembly for affecting the financial health of the State by buying a huge quantum of high-cost power during its five-year period of governance in the State. He said the State has spent a whopping Rs. 17,450 crore on the purchase of short-term high-cost power alone in the last six years — five years of the BJP dispensation and one year of the Congress.
His attack left the BJP leaders stunned as both the parties had joined hands only a few days ago to pick JD(S) member Puttanna as Deputy Chairperson of the Council.
Participating in a debate on the demand for grants for the Energy Department, Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged that the procurement of high-cost power (for short-term use), which stood at 40.50 million units, costing Rs. 28.51 crore during the regime of the coalition government led by him in 2007-08, had rapidly increased to 1,963.49 million units worth Rs. 1,327.43 crore within a year, when the BJP formed its government.
Thereafter, the State spent huge sums of money on short-term purchases of high-cost power every year, amounting to Rs. 1,327.43 crore in 2008-09, Rs. 1,155.14 crore in 2009-10, Rs. 3,903.51 crore in 2010-11, Rs. 3,035.28 crore in 2011-12 and Rs. 4,839.27 crore in 2012-13. The Congress government too had procured high-cost power of Rs. 3,191.40 crore in its first year, he said.
Terming this a huge burden on the finances of the power sector, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it was possible to prevent the purchase of such huge amounts of high-cost power through proper planning and efficient use of the State’s own power generating stations.
He alleged that power had been procured from private companies at their whims and fancies by reducing the generation in government-owned power generating stations. He also took exception to the trend of the State opting for power tariff hike every year, and wondered why the Escoms were reeling under losses despite such frequent hikes.
Trying to trace the efforts made towards power generation in the State since 1990, he alleged that the State had neglected power generation in the last six years, leading to a power crisis. BJP leaders argued that such steps had to be taken to tide over the power shortage.
