GoM report before winter session: Shinde

NEW DELHI: The Group of Ministers (GoM), set up to look into the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, will submit its report to the Union Cabinet before the winter session of Parliament, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said on Friday.

"We will submit the report before the winter session begins," Shinde who heads the seven member GoM told reporters here. Shinde, however, refused to divulge anything on when Telanagan will come into existence.

"There is a process (of creating new state). When the Parliament passes the (Telangana) bill, the new state will come," he said.

The high-powered ministerial panel had detailed discussions over sharing of river water, power, distribution of assets and demarcating of boundaries in its two meetings held early this month.

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

Detailed reports, department-wise, are now being prepared and will be presented before the next meeting of the GoM to be held on November 7.

The panel 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 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 the opinions of stakeholders on all important subjects while formulating its recommendations.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister A K Antony, 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 a special invitee to the panel.

In its October 19 meeting, they had fixed November 5 as the last day for receiving suggestions on bifurcation of the state from public, including political parties and public representatives.

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.

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 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.