The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), Telangana’s sole profit-making public sector undertaking and often called the state’s “golden goose,” is reeling under massive pending dues of over Rs 29,000 crore owed by the state government-owned power generation company (TGGENCO).

Despite supplying over one lakh metric tonnes of coal daily to TGGENCO’s thermal power plants and the entire power output from its own 1,200 MW Jaipur (Mancherial) thermal plant, SCCL has not received timely payments for years. Of the total outstanding amount, approximately Rs 19,000 crore accumulated over the decade of BRS rule (2014–November 2023), while a staggering Rs 10,000 crore piled up in just the two years since the Congress government assumed power in December 2023.

SCCL operates the state’s critical energy backbone. TGGENCO’s 5,580 MW thermal capacity depends heavily on Singareni coal, with daily supplies ranging between 75,000 and 1 lakh tonnes depending on Plant Load Factor. Additionally, the company’s Jaipur plant has supplied 4,742 million units of electricity in the current financial year (2025) alone — yet bills remain uncleared.

The mounting dues have pushed SCCL into financial distress at a time when coal production has already been severely hit by prolonged rains. Production remained negligible for five consecutive months (June to October), making it increasingly difficult to meet annual targets and maintain profitability.

Employee and trade union circles express serious concern that continued delay in clearing dues could push SCCL back into the kind of financial crisis it faced about 15 years ago. They urge the government to release funds on a monthly basis, similar to the Rs 1,000 crore it allocates every month for free electricity and subsidies.

Describing the situation as “government’s own tune of neglect,” workers emphasise that while Singareni ensures uninterrupted power supply to Telangana, the state must reciprocate by clearing long-pending dues to safeguard the company’s financial health and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of employees.