Singareni Collieries Plunder: Union Minister Demands Inquiry into BRS Mismanagement

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has accused the previous BRS regime in Telangana of looting and financially destroying the state-run miner, Singareni Collieries. He demanded a comprehensive inquiry by the current Congress-led government into the alleged mismanagement and economic destruction of the coal company during the past decade.

Alleging that the state-run miner, Singareni Collieries in Telangana was ''looted'' and financially ''destroyed'' during the previous BRS regime, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday demanded the present Congress government conduct an inquiry into the matter.

Singareni is a coal mining company jointly owned by the Government of Telangana and Government of India on a 51:49 equity basis.

It had Rs 3,500 crore bank deposits when BRS came to power with the formation of Telangana in 2014, Reddy, Minister for Coal and Mines told a press conference here.

But, the company is now in debts due to the ''arrogant, irregular and disorderly administration and excessive interference'' of former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), he alleged.

Claiming that the Telangana government owes Rs 30,000 crore (dues) to Singareni, he said BRS is to be blamed for this. The staff unions of Singareni are making this clear.

He further alleged that BRS MLAs and other leaders ''used'' transfer of Singareni lands and its quarters ''as per the orders of KCR's family members''.

Why KCR did not discuss taking up production in the Naini coal block in Odisha alloted to Singareni in 2015 with the then Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik? Kishan Reddy asked.

Production has not begun so far in the Naini coal block, he said.

''It was KCR, KCR family, his party, his ministers, his MLAs who looted Singareni and did economic destruction. I am asking the present (Telangana) government. If you have any love for Singareni, Singareni workers and Telangana's development, I am demanding comprehensive investigation, judicial inquiry into the economic destruction or political interference or loot of Singareni of TRS during the last 10 years.'' Alleging that the ruling Congress in Telangana was also like the BRS, he demanded that CM Revanth Reddy order a comprehensive investigation into ''how much land was looted, where CSR fund was used, how loot was carried out, how Singareni bills were used for luxurious things'' if he is sincere.

If necessary, as 49 per cent shareholder, he will write a letter to the state government on behalf of the Centre on the issue, Kishan Reddy said.

Referring to the allegation of BRS in the past that the NDA government at the Centre would privatise the company, he said PM Narendra Modi had during a visit to Ramagundam in the Singareni area made it clear the government coal mining firm would not be privatised.

He asserted that the NDA government would work for the welfare of Singareni workers.

The Centre is auctioning the coal mines in a transparent manner in the spirit of Supreme Court's judgment that mines belong to people and that they should not be allotted as per whims and fancies, he said.

He noted that about Rs 37,000 crore has been realized in the nine rounds of coal mines auction held so far. However, the Centre does not get any money when coal mines are auctioned and the state governments get royalty, he said adding Singareni would also benefit through the open auction and not by nomination basis.

Kishan Reddy's attack on BRS came against the backdrop of an ongoing war of words between opposition party and ruling Congress on the issue of allotting coal blocks to Singareni.

In a post on X on Saturday, BRS leader K T Rama Rao said, ''Congress and BJP are partners in crime when it comes to mortgaging the properties, rights, and resources of Telangana.'' CM Reddy had alleged that two coal blocks of Singareni were ''sold off'' to two private companies when Rama Rao's father Chandrasekhar Rao was the chief minister.

The Telangana government has urged Kishan Reddy that Singareni be allocated coal blocks in the Godavari catchment area under the reservation quota, without it having to participate in the auction process. Replying to a query on the row over NEET exam, Kishan Reddy said there was no leak of exam paper and that one paper was given instead of another.

On NEET, the government would ensure justice to the students and also conduct the test in future with transparency and efficiency, he said.

The matter was also discussed in the cabinet meeting and the government is keen on conducting the test efficiently, he said.