<p>Telangana's IT, Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has accused the BJP led central government of “conspiring to privatize the Singareni Collieries in the state.</p>.<p>The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is a coal mining company jointly owned by the Telangana and Union governments on a 51:49 equity basis.</p>.<p>The Singareni coal reserves stretch across 350 km of the Pranahita – Godavari Valley of Telangana with proven geological reserves aggregating to a whopping 8,791 million tonne. SCCL is operating several opencast and underground mines in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam areas, with a manpower of about 44 thousand workers.</p>.<p>The present controversy is around the Centre's plan to auction four coal blocks -Kalyan Khani Block-6, Koyagudem Block-III, Sathupalli Block-III and Shravanapalli located in Telangana.</p>.<p>While the TRS is asking the Union government to cancel the auction of these four coal blocks and direct allocation to SCCL, the Centre is firm on auction route for the sale of coal.</p>.<p>Minister KTR alleged that the BJP's plan is to first push Singareni into loss and then privatize it. “In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, iron ore mines required for the Vizag Steel Plant were not provided, which led to its losses. VSP will be privatized soon. The Centre is conspiring to kill Singareni also in a similar fashion by refusing to allocate the coal mines,” KTR said.</p>.<p>KTR shot off a letter to Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday demanding the coal mine allocation directly to Singareni.</p>.<p>KTR questioned the Centre as to why the coal mines were not allocated to Singareni directly like the Lignite mines allocated to Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation in Gujarat. “Under the BJP rule, there is one rule for Gujarat and another rule for Telangana! Is Telangana not a part of India?” the minister asked. “This is not just discrimination against Singareni organization, it is discrimination against the Telangana state and its people.”</p>.<p>“SCCL is not a coal but gold mine giving employment to thousands of youth in Telangana. Singareni employees and Telangana people will show their power in Delhi if the BJP continues its attempts to privatize the company. This agitation will be much bigger than the agitation staged against the three farm laws,” KTR said.</p>.<p>In the letter, KTR stated that Singareni output went up from 450 lakh tonnes to 670 lakh tonnes in last seven years. "Singareni is providing coal not just within Telangana but also to various thermal power plants in Maharashtra and south Indian states. Singareni is the only public sector undertaking in the country to contribute 29 per cent of the profits," he said.</p>.<p>"The Centre should have allocated the mines to strengthen Singareni running in profits. Instead, they are asking the company to participate in auctions. This is creating hurdles for Telangana and its development," said KTR.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>
<p>Telangana's IT, Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has accused the BJP led central government of “conspiring to privatize the Singareni Collieries in the state.</p>.<p>The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is a coal mining company jointly owned by the Telangana and Union governments on a 51:49 equity basis.</p>.<p>The Singareni coal reserves stretch across 350 km of the Pranahita – Godavari Valley of Telangana with proven geological reserves aggregating to a whopping 8,791 million tonne. SCCL is operating several opencast and underground mines in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam areas, with a manpower of about 44 thousand workers.</p>.<p>The present controversy is around the Centre's plan to auction four coal blocks -Kalyan Khani Block-6, Koyagudem Block-III, Sathupalli Block-III and Shravanapalli located in Telangana.</p>.<p>While the TRS is asking the Union government to cancel the auction of these four coal blocks and direct allocation to SCCL, the Centre is firm on auction route for the sale of coal.</p>.<p>Minister KTR alleged that the BJP's plan is to first push Singareni into loss and then privatize it. “In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, iron ore mines required for the Vizag Steel Plant were not provided, which led to its losses. VSP will be privatized soon. The Centre is conspiring to kill Singareni also in a similar fashion by refusing to allocate the coal mines,” KTR said.</p>.<p>KTR shot off a letter to Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday demanding the coal mine allocation directly to Singareni.</p>.<p>KTR questioned the Centre as to why the coal mines were not allocated to Singareni directly like the Lignite mines allocated to Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation in Gujarat. “Under the BJP rule, there is one rule for Gujarat and another rule for Telangana! Is Telangana not a part of India?” the minister asked. “This is not just discrimination against Singareni organization, it is discrimination against the Telangana state and its people.”</p>.<p>“SCCL is not a coal but gold mine giving employment to thousands of youth in Telangana. Singareni employees and Telangana people will show their power in Delhi if the BJP continues its attempts to privatize the company. This agitation will be much bigger than the agitation staged against the three farm laws,” KTR said.</p>.<p>In the letter, KTR stated that Singareni output went up from 450 lakh tonnes to 670 lakh tonnes in last seven years. "Singareni is providing coal not just within Telangana but also to various thermal power plants in Maharashtra and south Indian states. Singareni is the only public sector undertaking in the country to contribute 29 per cent of the profits," he said.</p>.<p>"The Centre should have allocated the mines to strengthen Singareni running in profits. Instead, they are asking the company to participate in auctions. This is creating hurdles for Telangana and its development," said KTR.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>
