TDP circles are wondering that Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government has given more than Rs 100 crore worth Pongal gift to the cousin brother of former chief minister and YCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy, YS Venkata Reddy in the form of mines lease. Venkat Reddy is the son of Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy’s paternal grandfather.
The AP mines department gave a huge gift in the form of a lease to YS Venkata Reddy, a resident of Pulivendula during the Sankranthi festival. The lease of more than Rs. 100 crore worth of muggu raayi reserves in YSR district was tied to him. The mines department issued orders allocating the lease on the 15th of this month, during the holidays, on the occasion of Kanuma festival.
It seems that a senior TDP leader from YSR district was behind this file moving at jet speed. Venkata Reddy had applied for a mineral lease in 11.6 hectares in Vemula survey numbers 1021/26, 43 in 2016. However, after the YSRCP came to power, the file moved rapidly. The Assistant Director of Mines, Erraguntla, sent a proposal in March 2020 for the lease of 9.55 hectares of Muggurai. Mines.
The then Director of Mines, VG Venkata Reddy, paid special attention to this lease file. Recently, Director Praveen Kumar issued orders on the 15th of this month, granting a lease of 9.55 hectares to YS Venkata Reddy for a period of 20 years. There is a good demand for the mineral here in the market. 1390 tons of Muggurai will be extracted annually in this lease. Its current market value is Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 35,000 per ton.
This has exposed the YS Jagan family’s clout in the administration, even after he lost power miserably last year. While several key leaders in the ruling coalition are said to be continuing their proximity with the YS Jagan, several officials at various levels are continuing their `loyalty’ towards him, taking advantage from Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s `wait and see’ approach towards previous regimes irregularities.
