CPM leader slams coalition govt's ‘green scam'

Tirupati: CPM leader Kandarapu Murali on Tuesday criticised the coalition government's claims of power tariff reductions before the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC), branding them a "green scam" during a public hearing at SPDCL's corporate office here on Tuesday.

Dismissing assertions of the "biggest true-down in 26 years," Murali accused the administration of imposing an extra Rs 17,000 crore burden on consumers over two years, on top of the YSRCP's nine tariff hikes totaling Rs 32,000 crore. He highlighted that the government continues to collect previous high taxes and adjustment charges 40 paise per unit for 2022-24 and Rs 2,700 crore in advance for 2024-25 while merely reducing Rs 927 crore and labeling it a cut. He questioned the ongoing SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd) deal, which the Chief Minister admitted causes a loss of Rs 1.5 lakh crore.