As expected, differences over the payment of power dues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh figured prominently during the meeting convened by the Union Home Ministry to amicably resolve pending bilateral issues between the two States.
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, who participated in the discussions, asserted that the total dues to be received from AP was to the tune of ₹12,111 crore. And the AP government had said that the dues payable by TS Genco to its power utilities were ₹3,442 crore.
The Chief Secretary recalled how Telangana was deprived of low cost hydel power from Sileru project because of which the distribution companies had to procure high cost power.
The Central government had constituted a committee headed by Neeraja Mathur in 2014 to resolve the issues pertaining to power sector that arose after the AP Reorganisation Act 2014. Though the committee had convened several meetings ever since, its report was yet to be submitted even after lapse of seven and a half years.
The Chief Secretary informed Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla that in fact, Telangana utilities should receive a net amount of Rs. 12,111 crore if all the dues like debt servicing of Anantapur and Kurnool districts and costs incurred due to purchase of thermal power were considered and not the other way round.
Moreover, the AP utilities filed a case in the high court and the Telangana government was firm that the case be withdrawn so that the amounts could be settled.
