Officials of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRT) have refused to give Andhra Pradesh a share in the 13 joint properties located in Hyderabad in the stipulated 58:42 ratio, derailing yet another round of talks held here on Friday to resolve the issue of assets distribution among the two States.
Disagreement marked the meeting attended by the Principal Secretaries, Transport and Roads and Buildings, Managing Directors and Directors of the two States, besides two representatives of the Central Government.
Bone of contention
The RTCs of the two States have 14 joint properties of which 13 are located in Telangana and one in Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh.
Distribution of these assets in the ratio has become the bone of contention with the Telangana officials categorically refusing to part with a share in them, except the Bus Bhavan. Even in the Bus Bhavan, they are willing to share the cost of the building only.
AP to approach panel
When the Telangana officials refused to budge from their stand, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of APSRTC M. Malakondaiah suggested that the resolution be put to voting. But the Telangana team stuck to its gun and left the venue abruptly.
“We are expected to resolve the issue as per the stipulations of the AP Reorganisation Act. Since the Telangana team did not agree with our proposal, a comprehensive report with details of the stands taken by the two States will be submitted to the Shila Bhide Committee constituted by the Central Government to look into the distribution of assets and liabilities of the two States,” Mr. Malakondaiah told The Hindu.
Unions decry TS stand
The Telangana officials’ stand on the issue has drawn criticism from leaders of RTC unions.
“The Telangana stand defies logic. When liabilities are being distributed in 58:42 ratio, why not assets? Moreover, these 14 facilities are created for the welfare of the workers of a joint Andhra Pradesh State. Now that we are separated, we should get our fair share in these joint properties,” said National Mazdoor Union vice-president Durga Prasad.
APSRTC Employees’ Union threatened to move the court of law if they were not given justice in assets distribution.
When pointed out that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said a few months ago that “headquarters” of institutions included in Schedule IX could only be bifurcated and not other offices of any institution located in Hyderabad, the employees’ union leaders said, in that case, the Centre should make up for the loss by releasing special grants to the APSRTC.