Hyderabad: The main opposition Congress staged a walkout from the Telangana State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday after the State Government refused to accept its demand for a House Committee to probe into the allegations of irregularities in the execution of Mission Bhagiratha works.
The Congress legislators alleged that nearly Rs. 10,000 crore were misappropriated by six contractors of Andhra to whom the Mission Bhagiratha workers were alloted.
During the debate on demands on Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Congress MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said he had has sufficient proof to substantiate his allegations. He said tenders worth about Rs. 36,000 crore were allotted to six contractors of Andhra region by dividing the Mission Bhagiratha works in 26 bids.
Instead of executing the works themselves, the contractors gave the work to sub-contract to other firms by taking away the commission of over Rs. 10,000 crore. He said that the government could have saved Rs. 10,000 crore if it would have executed the works by itself instead of engaging contractors.
He demanded that a Legislature Committee be constituted to probe into the alleged irregularities. He even offered to resign from his MLA’s post and said he would not re-contest if he fails to prove the charges.
Responding to the allegation, Municipal Administration Minister K. Tarakarama Rao denied the allegations of irregularities and rejected the demand for constitution of a House Committee. Intervening on the issue, Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao also dismissed the allegations.
KTR said that it was the previous Congress regime which was involved in corruption and irregularities. He said despite getting elected from Nalgonda several times, Komatireddy even failed to solve the flourisis problem in his district.
Reacting to this, Komatireddy said that the previous Congress regime had resolved nearly 80% of flourisis problem by providing drinking water to affected areas from Nagarjuna Sagar upto Yadagirigutta.
Komatireddy said he would approach other agencies like Vigilance & Enforcement seeking probe into Mission Bhagiratha irregularities if the government fails to set up House Committee.
KTR said that the Congress member was free to lodge his complain with any authority and the State Government would not constitute a House Committee.
Leader of Opposition K. Jana Reddy then announced that the Congress party was staging a walkout from the House in protest against the State Government’s refusal to order probe into irregularities in Mission Bhagiratha works. (INN)