‘Scandal of gigantic proportions’: Congress on Adani slashing Maharashtra power project cost by 99%

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh. File photo | Photo Credit: ANI The Congress on Friday (November 13, 2026) attacked the Modi Government over Adani Green Energy Limited reportedly seeking to revise the cost of its hydropower project in Maharashtra's Satara district downwards by 99%, calling it a "scandal of gigantic proportions" and reiterating its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the group's operations.Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a newspaper report which claimed that Adani Green Energy Limited, a renewable energy company owned by the Adani Group, has sought to sharply revise the cost of its 1,500 megawatt hydropower project in Maharashtra's Satara district downwards to ₹56.75 crore from ₹5,675 crore.The report said that the reduction in cost to a one-hundredth matters because it also proportionally reduces the money Adani Green Energy has to deposit towards wildlife sanctuary conservation and protection to just ₹2.27 crore as against ₹227 crore.Following a complaint registered on October 30 with the Prime Minister's grievance redressal portal and to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra through the State Government's Aaple Sarkar grievance redressal portal, alleging "incorrect cost of the project", the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has directed the State Forest Department on November 6 to investigate the matter on priority, and the Department has also initiated a probe, according to the report.There was no immediate reaction from the Adani Group, Maharashtra Government or the Centre on the claims.In his post on X, Mr. Ramesh said, "Over the past decade, the Modani conglomerate's astronomical expansion has been a saga of well-documented scams."The Indian National Congress has, since March 2023, been demanding a thorough investigation through a JPC into its growth and takeover of company after company, industry after industry, public asset after public asset, which had been documented in detail, he said.Now comes another extraordinary revelation in a leading daily that had earlier exposed the CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Mr. Ramesh said, describing the report as "truly sensational"."Modani has slashed its project cost for a 1500 MW pumped storage power project in Maharashtra. A project which was sanctioned last year for ₹5,675 crore is now stated in an affidavit to have a cost of ₹56.75 crore. It is a 99% reduction!" the Congress leader said.This is unbelievable, and yet another example of what "Modani" is always able to get away with, Mr. Ramesh said."It points to a scandal of gigantic proportions, reinforcing the demand for a JPC into its operations," he said. Published - November 13, 2026 10:48 am IST