Fri Dec 27 23:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Andhra Pradesh Minister Blames Jagan Mohan Reddy for Power Tariff Hike

**AMARAVATI, Andhra Pradesh –** Andhra Pradesh’s BC Welfare Minister, S. Savitha, has launched a scathing attack on former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of mismanagement and corruption that led to a significant increase in power tariffs. Addressing the media on Friday, Ms. Savitha claimed Mr. Reddy’s administration burdened the public with an additional ₹17,000 crore due to poor governance.

Ms. Savitha alleged that the YSRCP government, under Mr. Reddy’s leadership, instructed the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) to raise tariffs nine times during his five-year tenure, resulting in a total burden of ₹1.29 lakh crore on the people and power utilities. She contrasted this with the TDP’s rule from 2014-2019, during which Andhra Pradesh was a power-surplus state with no tariff increases. She also criticized Mr. Reddy’s policy of installing meters on agricultural pump sets, a policy reversed by current Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Challenging Mr. Reddy to a public debate, Ms. Savitha asserted that the current power tariff hikes are a direct consequence of agreements made during his tenure. She dismissed the YSRCP’s protests against the power charges as politically motivated, stating that the people recognize the developmental progress under Mr. Naidu’s leadership and will not be swayed by Mr. Reddy’s claims. Ms. Savitha highlighted the NDA government’s welfare schemes and infrastructure improvements as further evidence of positive change.

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