Chinta Green Energy Pvt. Ltd. was incorporated only recently — on January 17 this year. Interestingly, its promoter is Navayuga Group Chairman Chinta Visweswara Rao, who resides in Hyderabad. However, the company was registered not in Hyderabad but with the Delhi Registrar of Companies (ROC). While that’s not illegal, it’s a curious move, especially since this Delhi-registered firm has been bagging back-to-back power projects in Andhra Pradesh. Since its inception, and under the Chandrababu Naidu–led coalition government, Chinta Green Energy Pvt. Ltd. has been continuously awarded power projects with massive capacities running into thousands of megawatts. During almost every SIPB (State Investment Promotion Board) meeting chaired by CM Chandrababu Naidu, companies belonging to Visweswara Rao’s family have been getting new power project approvals.
Not only Chinta Green Energy Pvt. Ltd., but also Navayuga Engineering and RVR Projects (owned by Visweswara Rao’s son-in-law) have received similar power project allotments in Andhra Pradesh. Altogether, the projects allocated to companies belonging to the Visweswara Rao family now total 11,110 MW. Just a few days ago, the government had issued fresh orders increasing the capacity of several previously allotted projects, saying the existing approvals were not sufficient. Now, as if even that wasn’t enough, the Andhra Pradesh government has issued new orders on Tuesday, sanctioning a 2,000 MW pumped hydro storage project near Duggeru in Makkuva mandal, Vizianagaram district.
Recently, media reports stated that Deputy CM and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan had raised questions in the Cabinet regarding the Lulu Mall project conditions. Even so, the Cabinet went on to approve the Lulu Vizag project. But the key question now is — while thousands of megawatts of power projects are being awarded repeatedly to the same family, why hasn’t Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan raised this issue, the way he did about the Lulu project? Why hasn’t he questioned this monopoly in the power sector by companies belonging to a single family?. There’s growing talk that Pawan Kalyan’s silence on such a serious issue amounts to tacit approval. Meanwhile, strong rumors are circulating in IAS circles that certain individuals in power are using front companies to grab multiple projects across the state.