Amaravati, Jul 19 (PTI) YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday alleged that the TDP-led NDA government was attempting to turn the Ramayapatnam Port into a “scam” through its proposed disinvestment, alleging that it would inflict heavy losses on the state exchequer.
Jagan said port-led development held immense potential for the economic growth of the successor state and asserted that the previous YSRCP government had made significant progress in developing the Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam and Mulapeta ports before demitting office in June 2024.
“The TDP government is offering a port on which the government is spending Rs 4,929 crore against an upfront payment of only Rs 1,500 crore by private parties, causing significant loss to the state exchequer, with the state government having to endure the debt servicing burden to the tune of over Rs. 3,500 crore. What kind of economics is this, N Chandrababu Naidu (sic),” Jagan claimed in a post on X.
According to Jagan, the erstwhile YSRCP government completed key milestones in the development of the three ports between 2019 and 2024, such as land acquisition, securing statutory approvals, achieving financial closure, executing EPC contracts and making substantial physical progress before June 2024.
He claimed the Ramayapatnam Port had already attracted major investments from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited for its proposed greenfield refinery and petrochemical complex, Indosol Solar for its giga-scale manufacturing plant, and JSW Steel for its proposed berths linked to the company’s integrated steel plant in Kadapa district.
Jagan said the BPCL refinery, with a refining capacity of 9-12 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum and an estimated investment exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore, would depend on the deep-water port for crude imports.
He claimed that Indosol Solar’s fully integrated “quartz-to-module” manufacturing ecosystem would also rely on the port’s proximity for the efficient import of raw materials and the export of finished solar modules.
He said JSW Steel was developing two berths at the Ramayapatnam Port to handle bulk raw materials such as iron ore and coking coal required for its integrated steel plant in YSR Kadapa district.
The YSRCP chief claimed these projects would generate employment for thousands of people while significantly enhancing Andhra Pradesh’s tax and non-tax revenues through industrial and port-led development.
He alleged that despite the economic advantages associated with the project, the TDP government was attempting to convert the port into a “scam” to generate cash flows for its “bigwigs”.
Jagan alleged the proposed disinvestment would leave the government servicing debt of more than Rs 3,500 crore despite private parties making an upfront payment of only Rs 1,500 crore.
He questioned the economic rationale behind the proposal and alleged that the state’s financial interests were being compromised despite the government’s substantial investment in developing the port.
Additionally, YSRCP leaders reiterated Jagan’s assurance that, if voted to power, a future YSRCP government would provide Rs 1 crore in compensation to each of the six bereaved fishermen’s families and a new fishing boat to survivor Karri Chinna, who lost his livelihood in the recent fishing tragedy off Visakhapatnam.
They distributed Rs 49 lakh in financial assistance from party funds, including Rs 7 lakh each to the six bereaved families and survivor Karri Chinna, through cheques personally signed by Jagan, they said.
YSRCP alleged that all six fishermen could have been saved had the government launched rescue operations immediately instead of allegedly delaying the rescue response by nearly 18 hours after the incident.
They alleged that the NDA coalition government failed to visit the bereaved families even 15 days after the tragedy and restricted its assistance to an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the family of each deceased fisherman.
Questioning Fisheries Minister K Atchannaidu, they alleged that he cited eye surgery as the reason for not visiting the victims’ families while finding time to criticise Jagan.
They claimed Home Minister V Anitha confined her response to a video call.
Recalling the erstwhile YSRCP government’s initiatives for fishermen, the opposition leaders said Jagan had personally visited the victims’ families and highlighted welfare measures such as enhanced oil subsidy and pension benefits from the age of 50.
Stating that fishermen deserved dignity, security and timely government support, the YSRCP leaders said the party would continue pressing the issue until every affected family received Rs 1 crore in compensation and comprehensive rehabilitation. PTI MS SSK
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