Nellore: Former Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy has publicly criticized Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for planning to impose an additional burden of Rs 8,100 crore on the public through increased electricity tariffs. He demanded that the government reconsider this decision, asserting that it goes against Naidu’s prior commitments.
Speaking to the media in Guntur, Kakani reminded the public that during the election campaign, Naidu promised not to raise electricity charges and to eliminate true-up charges. He accused the Chief Minister of going back on these promises, calling him the “brand ambassador” of betrayal. Kakani also dismissed the white paper released on the power sector as misleading, highlighting the TDP coalition government’s failure to fulfill its election commitments.
Kakani expressed deep concern over the potential impact of the “Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment” (FPPCA) charges, which could result in an additional cost of Rs 4.14 to Rs 6.69 per unit for consumers over the next four quarters. He noted that distribution companies (DISCOMs) were already grappling with transmission and distribution losses ranging from 7.99% to 10.99%.
He also pointed out that when the TDP government assumed power in 2014, DISCOMs were reporting a loss of Rs 4,315 crore, a figure that skyrocketed to Rs 20,000 crore by 2019. Kakani concluded by stating that the previous government had cleared Rs 43,744 crore in unpaid dues for free electricity, highlighting the financial mismanagement under Naidu’s administration.