The opposition YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh is raising a hue and cry over the alleged nepotism by the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government headed by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu towards his family firm Heritage Foods for supply of ghee to Tirumala through its alleged proxy company Indapur Dairy.
Even as the controversy continues to rage despite clarification by the Heritage Foods and the TTD, the Chandrababu Naidu government has granted yet another favour to Heritage Foods Ltd.
On Wednesday, Naidu, who chaired the state investment promotion board meeting, granted approval to Heritage Foods Ltd for establishment of a milk processing unit at Chandragiri in Tirupati district.
The company is learnt to have come forward to set up the unit with an investment of Rs 209.68 crore, providing employment to 35 people.
Needless to say, the government will allocate prime land at Tirupati to Heritage Foods at a throwaway price in the name of industrial incentive.
In another development that may create alarming situation, the Naidu government also granted approval for Sigachi Industries Ltd to set up a synthetic organic chemicals manufacturing unit in Kurnool district with an investment of Rs 314.66 crore, generating 780 jobs.
It may be mentioned that Sigachi Industries Ltd, a leading manufacturer of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and other pharma excipients, food ingredients and cosmetic products, located at Pashamylaram in Sangareddy district, witnessed a major explosion of its reactors, claiming 54 lives.
The Pashamylaram unit has since been closed and its CEO Amit Raj Sinha was arrested by the Telangana police on December 28. The company is yet to pay full compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of the deceased.
Apparently to cover up the losses at Pashamylaram, the Sigachi Company quietly is trying to shift its base to Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh by pampering the Naidu government and got the approval for the same!