High-level meet on pending AP-Telangana bifurcation issues on Tuesday

VIJAYAWADA: A high-level meeting of Secretaries of various Central government departments will be held in New Delhi on Monday to discuss pending bilateral issues between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla will chair the meeting. Chief Secretaries Sameer Sharma (AP) and Somesh Kumar (Telangana) will attend the meeting. The Centre has listed a 14-point agenda for the meeting, including major contentious issues under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

According to officials, the issues that come up for discussion include division of government corporations and companies listed under Schedule IX of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, bifurcation of State institutions under Schedule X, division of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, AP Heavy Machinery Engineering Limited, division of cash and bank balances, funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes and public debt related to Externally-Aided Projects.

Issues related to Andhra Pradesh like proposed tax incentives, development grant for seven backward districts in Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra, bridging the resource gap, removal of anomalies in taxation matters, Central support for development of new capital city, establishment of national educational institutions and provision of rapid rail connectivity from the new capital are likely to be discussed at the meeting.

The two Telugu States have been at loggerheads on different issues, particularly sharing of river water and division of assets since the bifurcation of the State in 2014. The two States have decided to hold discussions to resolve the pending issues with the Centre acting as a facilitator for amicable settlement of the disputes. The Centre took the initiative after the AP government raised the pending issues at the Southern Zonal Council meeting.