Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, on Tuesday alleged that the policies of successive BRS and Congress governments have steadily eroded the confidence and sense of security of the employees of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).
He claimed that Singareni has repeatedly been used as a political tool by previous governments instead of being strengthened as one of the country's most important public sector enterprises. As part of ‘Singareni Bharosa Yatra’, he visited KTK-8 Mine in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district and interacted with Singareni workers and their families.
The Central minister stated that unwavering commitment and hard work of the workers have been instrumental in powering India's growth for decades. Kishan Reddy highlighted the growing anxiety and uncertainty that has gripped Singareni workers over the last decade and emphasised that it is unfortunate that after the formation of Telangana, the policies and failures of successive BRS and Congress governments have steadily eroded the confidence and sense of security of the workforce.
The Union Minister demanded complete transparency from the Telangana government regarding the utilisation of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds provided by the Centre. He also raised serious concerns over the nearly ₹9,000 crore in pending dues owed to Singareni for coal supplied to Telangana GENCO, which has placed an unnecessary financial burden on the company.
He claimed that the Centre's decision to allocate the Tadicherla-2 Coal Block to Singareni reflects the unwavering commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards protecting Singareni, safeguarding the interests of its workers, and strengthening Telangana's growth.
He expressed confidence that when the Bharatiya Janata Party forms the government in Telangana, it will further strengthen Singareni, ensure transparent governance, improve workers' welfare, and develop the organisation with the welfare and aspirations of its workers at the heart of every decision.
Kishan reaffirmed his commitment to restoring Singareni to sustained profitability, reassured the workforce and their families of his unwavering support. He also reaffirmed commitment to securing a stronger, more prosperous future for the company. BJP Telangana State President, N. Ramchander Rao, MLC Anji Reddy, MLA Dhanpal Suryanarayana and other BJP leaders were present.