Telangana cabinet minister KT Rama Rao has slammed the Center for selling assets of PSUs in the state. He asked the central government to withdraw the plan to sell the assets of PSUs. IT and Industries Minister Rao has written a letter to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman To suggest to the Center to explore the possibilities of reviving and strengthening PSUs instead of selling them.
“If this is not possible then the state government should be given an opportunity to set up new industrial units in such land,” the Telangana minister said.
KTR said in the letter that the central government’s plan to sell the PSUs is nothing but a mockery of the rights of the state government.
slammed the PM Modi-led central government for attempting to sell state-owned property under the guise of disinvestmentKTR sought to know under what provisions or powers the Center is contemplating the sale of PSUs set up in different states.
“It is unfortunate that the Modi government did not provide job opportunities to unemployed youth. If PSUs are reopened, they will provide direct employment to thousands and indirectly benefit lakhs of people,” he said.
He alleged that the BJP government was selling Hindustan Cables Limited, Hindustan Fluorocarbons Limited, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited, HMT, Cement Corporation of India Limited (CCI) and Ordnance Factories in Telangana as part of its disinvestment plans.
“The state governments had allotted about 7,200 acres of land to these six companies. The value of these lands would be approx. 5,000 crores as per government rates and as per open market prices, the value could be higher 40,000 crore,” he claimed.
KTR said the state government had allotted land to these companies at marginal prices and in some cases, it was offered to them free of cost, as the setting up of these units would generate employment for the local people, as well as industrial development. facility will also be available.
When the Telangana government urged the central government to allot land for the construction of a skyway to improve transport in Hyderabad, the Center demanded compensation as per the market value, he said.
“In this context, how can the central government sell the land allotted by the state government for setting up public sector undertakings,” the minister asked.
“I appeal to the central government to reconsider these schemes, failing which the Telangana government will strictly obstruct the move,” the minister said.