Andhra Pradesh Assembly today witnessed a curious debate on Harikrishna Prasada Vemuru, an NRI, who bagged the Rs 333 crore contract for executing the Fiber Grid project in the state. Harikrishna Prasad is also appointed member of a committee which evaluates the tenders related to IT Projects. Earlier one of his companies was black-listed by the Andhra Pradesh government. This issue figured in the Assembly, when chief minister was presenting a progress report on the fiber grid project, whose executing agency Tera software is owned by Hari Prasad.
While Jagan smells scam in the Rs 333 contract, CM defended Prasad as a man of service.
The CM announced in the House that by August every household in the state would have internet connection at cheapest rate of Rs 149 with a speed of 10 MBPS. AP government would make available about 100 channels with this subscription, thanks to fiber grid. Stating that the Rs 333 crore project would be completed in three years the CM said Andhra Pradesh would get transformed into digital Andhra by 2018. The completion of the fiber grid would enable the people hold video conferences. ” Even neighbors can chat in video conference,” he said.
But opposition leader Jaganmohan Reddy alleged that the project was a scam, and the contract was given to an accused in the EVM theft case. He also alleged that Harikrishna Prasad was also connected to the Heritage group. Raising this issues Jagan asked how could an accused in a theft case and who was blacklisted in Andhra Pradesh earlier get the huge contract worth Rs 333 crore.
He also alleged that Hariprasad’s company got the fiber grid contract when he was a member of the committee which evaluates the tenders. He stated that the same company was black listed for its failure to implement the Epos project. Indicating that there was connection between Heritage, group owned by CM’s family, and Tera Soft , Jagan stated a director in Heritage group was also a director in a software company owned by the Hari Prasad. All these murky details, Jagan said, show the type of transparency being practiced in Telugu Desam government.
But, Naidu stoutly dismissed the allegations. Lauding the talents and experience of Vemuri Hari Krishna Prasad, the CM said Prasad sacrificed for the sake of national cause. He was responsible for highlighting the EVM discrepancies. He was responsible for the demand for arranging the printer to the EVMs, Naidu said. Getting emotional, Naidu asked could anybody steal EVMs and what for. ” Stealing and committing irregularities and corruption is your (Jagan) habit. Your were in Jail for these crimes, not Hari Prasad,” Naidu said.
Referring to the charge of Heritage and Tera Soft connection, Naidu defended Heritage director working as director in Hari Prasad company as natural. ” The director, Seetaramaiah, is a professional chartered accountant. Professionals join many companies as directors . What is wrong in Seetharamaiah, a director in Heritage, joining as director in Tera Soft owned by Vemuru Hari Krishna Prasad,” Naidu said.
