Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise, Senthil Balaji, clarified that there are no direct connections between the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and the Adani Group. He made this statement during an inspection of development projects in Karur.
The minister inspected the construction work for the Kamaraj Market, a project funded by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister with an allocation of ₹6.75 crore. This initiative follows a request by traders to replace the old Kamaraj Market, which had been operational for over 50 years but had fallen into disrepair.
Under the supervision of District Collector Thangavel, the construction of 160 shops has been initiated, with work on 123 shops already completed.
The remaining shops are under construction, and the project is expected to be completed by December, with shop handovers to traders planned for January.
Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Minister Senthil Balaji responded to a query regarding allegations against the Adani Group and the TNEB’s association with it. He clarified that Tamil Nadu procures 1,500 MW of electricity through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a central government entity. SECI sources electricity from producers across India and supplies it to states based on requirements. He emphasized that the TNEB has no direct dealings with the Adani Group.
The minister also highlighted that during the previous AIADMK government, electricity was procured at ₹7 per unit, whereas the current government has reduced procurement costs to ₹2.61 per unit.
When asked about the delay in the construction of a new bus terminus in Karur, Minister Senthil Balaji stated that the project is currently stalled due to a pending court case filed during the previous administration.
However, he expressed confidence in a favorable court ruling, which would allow the construction to commence soon. Once completed, the new bus terminus will be inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for public use.