Telangana bill in winter session: Shinde

NEW DELHI: Seeking to put a lid on speculation, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said the Bill for creation of the new state of Telangana, bifurcating Andhra Pradesh, will be tabled in the winter session of Parliament starting on December five.

"The Telangana bill will be tabled in the winter session," Shinde told reporters here, indicating that the process for creating the new state is being expedited.

Sources said following an instruction of the Congress high command, the Group of Ministers, set up to look into the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, has held a series of meetings with different stake holders, including eight political parties in the last seven days.

The GoM will hear the views of the Union Ministers from Andhra Pradesh on November 18 and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is said to be strongly opposed to the division of the state, the next day.

Meanwhile, sources said, Shinde, who heads the GoM, instructed Home Ministry officials to start ground work for preparing the note to be submitted before the Union Cabinet in the next fortnight.

The officials have started compiling the reports of different Ministries which gave their opinion on distribution of assets and other issues between the new state and the residuary state Andhra Pradesh.

Once the Cabinet clears the proposal, it will go to the President who in turn refer it to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for approval. However, the Assembly resolution is not binding under the Constitution.

Government will then prepare the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill and with the Union Cabinet's approval will send it to the President before being tabled in Parliament.

The winter session of Parliament will commence on December 5 and will continue till December 20.

The GoM had detailed discussions over sharing of river water, power, distribution of assets and demarcating of boundaries in its recent meetings.

The high-powered ministerial panel is also looking 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.

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.

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.