Unused Secretariat Buildings Under AP : Governor issues orders handing over buildings

Hyderabad: Following the meeting with Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao earlier in the day, Governor ESL Narasimhan on Sunday issued orders for handing over of buildings under the Andhra Pradesh government after 2014 bifurcation for administrative functioning in Hyderabad to Telangana government.

Further, the Governor instructed to set apart two buildings, one for the Police department and another for all other departments which would be allocated for exclusive use of the Andhra Pradesh government at Hyderabad.

In the proceedings given by the Governor, he stated that the Telangana government has communicated a resolution of Council of Ministers, approved in Circulation, on June 2.

The Telangana government has requested the Governor that it be handed over unused office buildings in Hyderabad in wake of Andhra Pradesh government functioning from Amaravati.

"By virtue of powers vested in me under Section 8 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, I do hereby order that contents of the resolution be put in place by initiating necessary appropriate measures," the Governor said, according to the letter issued by the Raj Bhavan officials.

Also, the Telangana government was requested to waive all outstanding claims of property tax and public utility charges issued on the Andhra Pradesh government for possession of the above-said buildings.

The letter stressed that Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act casts a special responsibility on the Governor with respect to issues of Law and Order, Safety and Security of Citizens and vital installations as well as the management and allocation of government buildings in the common capital.

At the time of United Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation, government buildings in Hyderabad were allocated equally between the Telangana and AP governments.

Since the entire Andhra Pradesh government is functioning from its capital Amaravati, the official buildings allocated for it were lying vacant. Since the buildings were not utilised they are in dilapidated condition.

Against this backdrop, the Telangana State Cabinet on Sunday urged the Governor to re-allocate the office buildings given to the AP State government. The Governor has positively responded to the Telangana Cabinet's request and issued related orders.

Meanwhile, Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao expressed his happiness over the Governor's decision. He pointed out that buildings in Hyderabad under the possession of Andhra Pradesh government were lying vacant as the administration is being run from Amaravati.

This is a better idea to put the idle buildings in Hyderabad for better use, he said. The CM opined this was an auspicious sign that both the governments have decided to move forward with people's welfare and development of both states in mind.

He hoped that both governments would work in tandem, in a give and take relationship keeping in mind the factual realities on the ground.

The CM said his aim, ambition and effort would be to see to it that both the states develop with its people living in peace and prosperity and all issues between the two states would be amicably solved.