GoM on Telangana to meet on Saturday

NEW DELHI: Amid the raging protests over Telangana issue, the Group of Ministers (GoM), set up to look into the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, will deliberate issues concerning sharing of river water, power, distribution of assets and boundaries at its second meeting here on Saturday.

The high-powered ministerial panel will also look into the legal and administrative measures required to ensure that both Telangana and residuary state of Andhra Pradesh can function efficiently from Hyderabad as the common capital for 10 years.

The GoM, headed by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, was constituted to address all the issues that need resolution at the central and state government levels in the matter.

After its first meeting on October 11, the GoM had said that it would address all concerns of the people of Andhra Pradesh with "fairness and objectivity".

The GoM has already discussed the approach and methodology to be adopted by it and said it would take opinion of stakeholders on all important subjects while formulating its recommendations.

Following a directive of the GoM, various Central ministries and departments like Power and Water Resources have prepared status reports and these are expected to be submitted to the panel on Saturday.

With the status papers, the GoM could set out the broad contours for division of assets besides a special package for the restive Seemandhra region that is up in arms against the bifurcation.

Feedbacks from general public on the terms of reference were also sought by the GoM. Two key members of the GoM -- Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony -- could not attend the last meeting due to different reasons.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M Veerappa Moily and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh are the other members of the GoM.

Minister of State for Personnel and Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy is Special Invitee on the panel.

If the process goes along smoothly, officials said, the draft bill for the creation of Telangana could be sent to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly by November-end. The normal duration for bifurcation of a state is about four months.

The terms of reference for the GoM are to determine the boundaries of the new state of Telangana and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh with reference to the electoral constituencies, judicial and statutory bodies, and other administrative units

It will also look into the legal and administrative measures required to ensure that both the state governments can function efficiently from Hyderabad as the common capital for 10 years.

The panel will take into account the legal, financial and administrative measures that may be required for transition to a new capital of the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh.

It will examine the special needs of the backward regions and districts of both the states and recommend measures and deal with issues relating to law and order, safety and security of all residents and ensure peace and harmony in all regions and districts consequent to the formation of Telangana and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

The GoM will also look into long term internal security implications arising out of the move and make suitable recommendations.

The GoM will look into the sharing of river water, irrigation resources and other natural resources (especially coal, water, oil and gas) between the two states and also inter-se with other states, including the declaration of Polavaram Irrigation Project as a National Project.

It will examine issues related to power generation, transmission and distribution between the two states as also on distribution of assets, public finance, public corporations and liabilities thereof between the two states.

The panel will discuss issues relating to the distribution of the employees in the subordinate as well as All India Services between the two states.

It will also dwell on issues arising out of the Presidential Order issued under Article 371D of the Constitution consequent to the bifurcation and examine any other matter that may come up on account of this and make suitable recommendations.