Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka accused the BRS and BJP of ‘jointly conspiring’ against the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) to weaken the public sector miner for benefitting private entities of their choice as part of a ‘secret pact’.

“These conspiracies led to a massive loss of revenue to the SCCL,” he alleged, reiterating his charge that it was the BRS government that prevented the SCCL from participating in coal block auctions.

“The SCCL had lost two coal blocks in the Godavari valley coal field in the past and the BRS dispensation was solely responsible for this,” Mr. Vikramarka said while addressing a public meeting in Mancherial late on Saturday evening.

The Deputy CM handed over compassionate appointment letters to 335 eligible dependents of medically invalidated employees/workers of the SCCL on the occasion, sources said.

Ministers D. Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar and Adluri Laxman Kumar, Peddapalli MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna among others were present.

Mr. Vikramarka said the Congress government is committed to the welfare of the SCCL workforce.

He said, “Implementation of landmark welfare schemes such as ₹1.25 crore Accident Insurance Scheme for the SCCL employees stands testimony to the people’s government’s welfare initiatives.”

Mr. Vikramarka hit out at BRS leaders accusing them of exploiting the SCCL during their nearly decade-long rule.

He took a swipe at BRS leader T. Harish Rao alleging that the latter was spreading false propaganda against the Congress government.

He alleged that the SCCL was prevented from obtaining coal blocks that rightfully belonged to it. The SCCL had lost Koyagudem Block III and Sattupalli Block III both bearing an estimated coal reserves of 67 million tonnes and 32 million tonnes respectively. The market value of these coal reserves is estimated to be ₹29,106 crore and ₹10,032 crore. The potential profit loss for the SCCL due to the loss of these two coal blocks is estimated to be around ₹19,360 crore and ₹2,624 crore, he said.

“I had formally requested Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy to reallocate these coal blocks to the SCCL as the private allottees had failed to commence mining operations within the stipulated period,” Mr. Vikramarka said, accusing Mr. Kishan Reddy of failing to secure these blocks to the SCCL.

Earlier, the Deputy CM laid the foundation stone for development works worth ₹70 crore at the famous Sri Satyanarayana Swamy temple at Gudemgutta in Dandepally mandal.

(Eom)