- Union Coal Minister Kishan Reddy urged Telangana CM to probe alleged Rs 1600 crore coal stock scam in SCCL
- Reports claim 40 lakh tonnes of coal missing from Singareni Collieries, raising financial concerns
- SCCL faces unpaid dues over Rs 51,500 crore from Telangana government, risking company’s financial stability
Allegations of a coal stock scam in the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) have triggered a political row in Telangana, with Union Coal Minister and BJP Secunderabad MP G Kishan Reddy writing to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy seeking an urgent probe into the matter.
In his letter dated June 10, Kishan Reddy raised concerns over reports that nearly 40 lakh tonnes of coal worth around Rs 1600 crore had allegedly gone missing from SCCL stocks. He said the reported disappearance of coal and other irregularities were serious and required immediate investigation.
"I wish to bring to your notice reports about the disappearance of 40 lakh tonnes of coal worth Rs 1600 crore, causing significant financial loss to the company," he wrote.
The Union Minister warned that if the allegations were true, they could hurt the company's financial health and its future growth. He also pointed to SCCL's current financial position, saying unpaid dues from the Telangana government could further weaken the company.
"Given SCCL's current financial position due to unpaid dues exceeding Rs 51, 500 crore from the Telangana government, these allegations could further hamper the financial stability of SCCL," the letter said.
The Singareni Collieries Company Limited is jointly owned by the Telangana government and the Centre on a 51:49 equity basis.
Kishan Reddy urged the Chief Minister to verify the facts, review the company's monitoring systems and take corrective steps if needed. He also said the matter should be inquired into urgently to assess whether the alleged irregularities had any truth and whether adequate safeguards and internal controls were in place.
Kishan Reddy, in an interview to news agency ANI, said he has written to Telangana Chief Minister seeking clarity and accountability on the issue of coal scam. He said reports of irregularities have surfaced repeatedly, with political parties, trade unions and workers also flagging the matter, prompting him to seek answers from the state government.
He said, "In Singareni, accountability for certain coal stocks is missing, and instances of fraud have allegedly taken place. Reports on this matter are continuously surfacing in the media. Along with that, political parties, trade union organisations, and local workers have also written letters to me, urging me to get clarity on this issue...This is not a recent development; for more than 50 years, the role of the Central Government in its operational governance has effectively been zero per cent..."
The letter has set off a political blame game between the Congress, BRS and BJP.
TRS president K Kavitha blamed the Congress government for failing to protect the company.
"The coal scams taking place in Singareni are happening right under the eyes of Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka. His words are just words when it comes to Singareni," she said, demanding a white paper on coal reserves and the alleged shortage.
Former minister and BRS leader T Harish Rao demanded a CBI probe, alleging corruption in coal stock management, contracts, solar projects and procurement activities.
"If the Centre does not order an investigation despite holding a 49% stake in Singareni, people will believe the Congress and BJP are protecting each other," Harish Rao said.
The Congress government, however, strongly rejected the allegations. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, after inspecting the Srirampur Open Cast Mine in Mancherial district, accused the BRS of spreading false information for political gains.
"Singareni is Telangana's crown jewel. Any attempt to insult the hard work and self-respect of Singareni workers will not be tolerated," he said.
With the BJP demanding an inquiry, the BRS seeking a CBI probe and the Congress defending the company, the alleged coal stock scam has emerged as the latest political flashpoint in Telangana, with attention now on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and how he responds to the allegations and whether the state government will seek a CBI inquiry or handle it politically.
