Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla presided over an important meeting with top officials from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday to discuss outstanding issues under the Reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh Act 2014.
The meeting at the Home Ministry began about 11 a.m., with Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, as well as other higher officials from both states. According to those familiar with the move, the topic of the conference was divided between bilateral and other concerns.
The agenda of the meeting has seven significant issues, like division of companies and corporations, bifurcation of state institutions, apportionment of institutions not mentioned anywhere in the Act, division of Andhra Pradesh State Finance Corporation (APSFC), division of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) and Andhra Pradesh Heavy Machinery Engineering Ltd (APHMEL).
Besides, the bilateral issues included a division of cash and bank balance (funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes or Expenditure on Common Institutions or public debt pertaining to Externally Aided Projects), Cash Credit amount due to Andhra Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (APSCSCL) from Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (TSCSCL) and release of Rice Subsidy for 2014-15 by M/o CA, F&PD to APSCSCL.
Other issues on the agenda of the meeting are tax incentives [Section 94 (1) and (2) of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, development grant for seven backward districts of the state covering Rayalaseema and North Coastal Region, resource gap, removal of anomaly in taxation matters [Section 50, 51 and 56].
The agenda also states Central Support for the building of a new capital city, educational institutions, and speedy train links from the new capital.
The conference was attended by officials from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh involved in revenue, spending, finance, education, agriculture, and a variety of other ministries.
A similar conference was conducted in January of this year, during which Telangana strongly stated that all issues must be settled in accordance with the requirements of the Reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh State Act. The Andhra Pradesh side, on the other hand, has requested a change to several parts of the Act, particularly those dealing with properties and debts.
The Home Ministry shared the agenda for this meeting earlier this month with the Chief Secretaries of the two state governments, as well as Secretaries of their Finance, Food, Education, Agriculture, Petroleum, and Health Ministries, in addition to the Railway Board chairman.
