Bhatti triggers doubts on Davos claims by Revanth Reddy with statement on MoUs

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the MoUs were only about willingness of companies evincing interest to invest in the State.

Hyderabad: Bringing the State’s pacts with the Adani Group signed at Davos under a shadow of doubt, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) signed by the State government with different companies at Davos were only Expression of Interests (EOIs). In the process, he has also triggered doubts over Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy‘s claims of garnering investments worth over Rs.40,000 crore.

Speaking at a press conference here, Bhatti Vikramarka said the MoUs were only about willingness of companies evincing interest to invest in the State. Once, the new Energy Policy of the State was declared, open tenders would be called, he said in reply to a question on whether the State government would reconsider the agreements signed with Adani Group for 1350 MW pumped storage with an investment of Rs.5,000 crore.

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Irrespective of the MoUs signed, the companies would have to file their bids in the tenders. Just because MoUs were signed, nothing would be offered to a company. The MoU would give an idea that a company was keen on investing in the State and agreement was not a binding factor on the government, he said.

“Open tenders will be called and whichever companies files bids as per the State benefits, will get the works,” Bhatti Vikramarka said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that a new Energy Policy would be announced shortly. This would help in transforming Telangana into a power surplus State. Apart from laying focus on generating 20,000 MW clean and green energy by 2030, the policy would also aid in selling surplus power to other States, he said.

Skipping a query on farmers, who have crop loans of over Rs.2 lakh, the Deputy Chief Minister said the State government had completed loan waiver scheme by spending over Rs.20,000 crore. As promised, the government waived loans of upto Rs.2 lakh, he said, assuring that Rythu Bharosa would be extended to farmers after Sankranti.