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AP fibernet scam caused loss of ₹114 cr to state exchequer: Min
The directors of Tera Software were also directors in the firms linked to Naidu’s family-owned Heritage Group, the minister further alleged
The Andhra Pradesh state industries and information technology minister Gudivada Amarnath on Tuesday said the AP Fibernet project taken up by the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime headed by N Chandrababu Naidu was in gross violation of the rules and had caused a loss of ₹114 crore to the state exchequer.
Making a statement as part of a short discussion on ‘AP Fibernet scam in the state’ in the state legislative assembly, Amarnath alleged that the then Naidu government had manipulated the tender process to award the phase-I of the project worth ₹330 crore to Tera Software Limited, which was a blacklisted company.
“The project, aimed at providing high-speed internet, television and telephonic service from a single broadband connection at a nominal cost was awarded to Tera Software Limited, a company blacklisted by the Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited [INCAP] for non-compliance of electronic point of sale [EPOS] and was barred from participating in any APTS tenders,” he said.
Amarnath pointed out that Naidu had got the blacklisting against the firm revoked for reasons known to him. “An officer of the industries and infrastructure corporation who opposed the company was transferred and those who favoured his decision were posted,” he alleged.
The minister pointed out that one Vemuri Harikrishna Prasad, who looked after the tender evaluation committee for the Fibernet project was also a director in Tera Cloud Media Limited, floated and promoted by Tera Software, which eventually cornered the project.
The directors of Tera Software were also directors in the firms linked to Naidu’s family-owned Heritage Group, the minister further alleged.
He said the deviations committed at the time of the execution of the AP Fiber Net project phase-I had caused a revenue loss of ₹114 crore to the government exchequer.
Meanwhile, the TDP described the minister’s statement in the assembly on AP Fibernet issue was nothing but a misinformation campaign against Naidu.
TDP spokesman and MLC P Ashok Babu said providing cable TV connection, internet and telephone connection for every household at just for ₹149 per month was a technical revolution in the country.
He said Naidu had taken up the project by making use of the electric poles to give cable connections to every household and the entire project was completed at cost of a mere ₹330 crore. He said a high-power committee under the supervision of senior officer Ajay Jain had been constituted and under the directions of this panel, the project implementation was handed over to Tera Soft, he explained.
