Telangana officials view AP CM’s ‘give and take’ approach for resolving bifurcation issues with scepticism

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has favoured that the two Telugu states, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, adopt the ‘principle of give and take’ for arriving at mutually acceptable solutions to the pending bifurcation-issues.

Mr. Naidu reiterated his request during the recent Southern Zonal Council meeting requesting Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who led the State’s delegation, to come forward and resolve all the pending issues once and for all. The suggestion is however being viewed with scepticism by the Telangana Government, as officials claim it as yet another attempt to bypass the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

The Telangana Government has been steadfast in its stand on seeking resolution to pending issues strictly adhering to the provisions of the Reorganisation Act, such as location-based division of assets between the two States. The stand received support from the Union Home Affairs Ministry which gave some decisions in favour of Telangana in the past.

Officials say the ‘principle of give and take’ was in reference to the apportionment of Schedule IX and X institutions as well as the institutions not mentioned anywhere in the Act which are located in Telangana and hence belong to the State. Officials cite a similar instance pertaining to the apportionment of public debt related to externally aided projects.

While the Act specified apportionment based on population ratio (58:42), Andhra Pradesh proposed an alternative methodology wherein debt pertaining to four EAPs should be apportioned on a location basis, nine others on utilisation and two on population basis.

The proposal imposing an additional burden of ₹1,449 crore on Telangana contravened the provisions of the Reorganisation Act, which prescribes apportionment on the basis of population. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had to address a letter to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman complaining about the “unilateral” order by the Central Government on recovery of amount from Telangana which was adjusted to Andhra Pradesh.

“This clearly indicates how the neighbouring State is intending to go beyond the provisions of the Act in the name of give and take principle,” an official said.