The first high-level meeting of the official committees of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on resolution of bifurcation issues on Monday made no major headway as the two sides remained firm on their respective stances.
Chief Secretaries of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh A. Santhi Kumari and Neerabh Kumar Prasad conferred to discuss about the solution to bifurcation issues which are pending for more than a decade. All the 15 issues listed in the agenda figured during the meeting, the first forward looking one between the two States.
However, deadlock reportedly continued over some issues like reimbursement of expenditure incurred by Telangana on maintenance of common institutions till Hyderabad was the joint capital for 10 years. The Telangana delegation insisted that it should receive ₹410 crore from the neighbouring State, but Andhra Pradesh maintained that the figures submitted by Telangana should be reconciled. “The amount regarding maintenance of common institutions has been approved by the accountant generals of the two States, but A.P. is insisting on reconciliation yet again,” an official said on the condition of anonymity.
The same was the case with division of Labour Cess between the two States since an agreement could not be reached. Of the total amount presently frozen as fixed deposits in banks, Telangana should get ₹458.76 crore and A.P. ₹395.69 crore. Andhra Pradesh government is learnt to have pointed out that an amount of ₹9 crore balance towards income tax/interest was pending and hence, the left over apportionment of the left over balance will be taken up after reconciling the figures.
Officials of Telangana are understood to have taken objection to Andhra Pradesh raising division of Singareni Collieries Company Limited yet again. The Union Home Ministry has settled the issue as resolved after obtaining the view of Attorney General asserting that the public sector mining company was owned by Telangana government. The AG clarified that there were no operational blocks for SCCL in A.P. and as such, it was not an inter-State business whose assets and liabilities could be divided in accordance with Section 53 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Published – December 03, 2024 06:07 pm IST
