Bifurcation differences still remain

New Delhi: The meeting organised by the Union Home Ministry with officials of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday to thrash out the long-pending issues related to bifurcation ended without any solution.

It helped the Telangana officials utilising the occasion to once again lodge a strong protest on the notices issued by the Union Power Ministry to Telangana on pending power dues to Andhra Pradesh.

The only positive outcome was the Union Home Ministry instructed the Ministry of Railways to examine the issue of establishing a Railway Coach Factory as promised under the AP Reorganization Act in Telangana. The Home Ministry directed the Ministry of Higher Education to submit a report on setting up of a Tribal University.

A nine-member official team from Telangana led by State Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar attended the meeting. It was chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. Sources said that the Telangana officials raised the issue of payment of Rs 17,000 crore power dues by Andhra Pradesh in the meeting. The authorities questioned the Centre for issuing notices only to Telangana and not AP. "The Centre is adopting a biased approach in addressing the bifurcation-related issues pending between the two states," officials told the Union Ministry. The Telangana government raised the issue of anomaly in taxation matters under Sections 50, 51 and 56 of the Reorganisation Act. It may be mentioned here that the AP Government contended that there was a differential treatment of the recovery of tax and refund in comparison to other States' Reorganisation Acts.

The recovery of tax was on location basis and the refund was on population basis. This was unfair to the State and it should be treated on an equitable basis.

The Telangana Government was firm that amendment of the Act would lead to looking back at the settled issue. The Government's stand was that whatever the provisions were in the Act, they should not be amended. When the Telangana Government raised the issue of delay in release of funds for the development of backward districts, the Union Ministry instructed the Union Ministry of Finance to release the funds. Telangana also objected to the AP government's demand for the division of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and reiterated that the issue does not arise as there is a specific provision in the Act transferring 51 per cent of equity to Telangana State. They said APHMEL (Andhra Pradesh Heavy Machinery Engineering Ltd) is the only subsidiary company of SCCL and only sharing of equity is to be settled. When they raised the issue of bifurcation of corporations and other institutions under Scheduled 9 and 10, the officials of the Home Ministry said that it was pending before the courts and will have to wait for the final judgements.