Tadicherla-II Allocation Will Strengthen SCCL: Kishan
Union minister G. Kishan Reddy said the Centre’s allocation of the Tadicherla-II coal block to SCCL would strengthen the company and safeguard employment.
Union minister for coal and mines G. Kishan Reddy on Monday said the Centre’s allocation of the Tadicherla-II coal block to Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) without auction was aimed at strengthening the company and safeguarding employment.
Addressing a meeting at Kothagudem Club in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district as part of the Singareni Bharosa Yatra, he said the allocation would benefit SCCL, with the mine expected to operate for 40 to 50 years and generate revenues of over ₹64,000 crore.
He said the block had been allocated directly to SCCL after nearly 11 years and described it as the only such allocation following the Supreme Court’s 2014 judgment mandating competitive bidding for coal blocks. He said the Centre had taken the decision keeping in view demands raised by workers, public representatives and others over nearly two decades.
Kishan Reddy alleged that previous BRS and Congress governments had shown “negligence” and “misuse of funds” in the functioning of SCCL. He said the company is jointly owned by the Telangana government and the Union government in a 51:49 ratio, and alleged that the then state government did not allow SCCL to participate in coal block auctions.
Expressing concern over declining revenues, he said the workforce had reduced from around 70,000 to about 40,000, while over 30,000 contract workers depend on the company for their livelihood. He said allocation of new coal blocks was essential to secure their future.
He also claimed that dues amounting to ₹54,000 crore were pending to SCCL from previous and present state governments, and asked the state government to release the funds.
BJP state president N. Ramachander Rao alleged that policies of the previous BRS government and the present Congress government had led to losses in SCCL. He criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for using ₹10 crore of SCCL funds for conducting a football match when the company was incurring losses.
Workers of Singareni attended the meeting in large numbers.
