The state government of Andhra Pradesh has reportedly asked to retain Hermitage Building Complex (in picture), Lake View Guest House and a building of the CB-CID until the argument between two States is settled.
There will no longer be any common capital for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad from June 2; it will remain the capital for only Telangana. While there is still no clarity on where Andhra Pradesh would locate its own capital, as mentioned in an earlier article in this column, the Chief Minister of Telangana directed that buildings which had been under the control of AP since partitioning, should be taken over by its officials. These properties exceed fifty especially including Lake View Guest House. Majority of them are prime properties located within areas currently under the governance and control of Andhra Pradesh.
Since most elected representatives from Andhra live permanently in Hyderabad, the government has allegedly intended keeping hold of Hermitage Building Complex, Lake View Guest House, as well as a CB-CID building until border disputes with Telangana are resolved. This means if they concede to their request that Telangana State would charge Andhra Pradesh a lot of money as rents.
But when will these two States agree on long-pending issues like sharing out assets and liabilities related to Schedule IX and X institutions (public sector corporations and entities owned by erstwhile Andhra Pradesh Government)? Because each interpreted it in a way that suits their own interests; this resulted in a deadlock between them. This enabled either side to accuse each other unilaterally about important matters like these.
In less than two years after Telangana’s establishment many staff related problems were handled promptly while numerous court cases have remained pending on various other aspects such as debts, staffs and division of assets belonging to Schedule IX & X corporations up till now. The Union Home Ministry had been sought several times because there was no agreement between two States. In a bid to provide more clarity, the Ministry has stated that some assets are associated with locations and hence issued speaking orders; but it did not forward any suggestions for smooth resolution of pending matters. In this regard however, the two States should resolve all these pending issues themselves through consensus as noted by it. This was demonstrated by the Government of Andhra Pradesh when it surrendered Secretariat building to Telangana and the distribution of assets in relation to the location-based Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, New Delhi.
But these two States are not alone in this problem even the Central government has failed to fulfill most of its assurances. Such assurances include establishing new institutions like an integrated steel factory at Bayyaram in Khammam district, Indian Institute of Management or ITIR (Information Technology Investment Region) for which Telangana would be receiving financial assistance as stipulated by Act besides cash transfers. After several representations, a Central Tribal University was granted to Andhra Pradesh in 2019 and also one for Telangana last year as part of promises under Reorganisation Act.
It is clearly stated in the Reorgnisation Act, Section 93 that within a period of ten years, government of India should take measures that are identified in Schedule XIII to ensure improved living conditions and sustainable development in the successor states, but this has not been done by the national Government. According to senior officials who handle State Reorganisation matters this indicates insensitivity from Centre.
During his January visit to New Delhi, Reddy had urged for central intervention so that Andhra Pradesh pays back Telangana with interest on their assets use. Further ,in relation to the AP government’s “violation of provisions of the act,” he wanted Home Ministry to look into other structures which are not mentioned in the Reorganisation Act but claimed by AP government.
More than thirty meetings of a committee on dispute resolution comprising representatives from Home Ministry and two states have failed to resolve anything yet. While they agreed over some issues, there were many others where they stuck each at their own side resulting in stalemate. The split is now ten years old; hence it is high time that central administration moved in guiding how these unresolved issues will be sorted out ghat led to impasse between both sides.
