MHA meeting concludes without any firm solution to AP-TS disputes

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday chaired the meeting with senior officials of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh including Chief Secretaries Somesh Kumar and Sameer Sharma respectively, over unsettled matters of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.

Hyderabad: The much-awaited meeting between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh convened by the Union Home Ministry to address pending issues pertaining to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, concluded without any major breakthrough. Majority of the issues remained unsolved indicating the Centre’s seriousness in addressing them, even though a few of them like A tribal university and rail coach factory were within its purview.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday chaired the meeting with senior officials of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh including Chief Secretaries Somesh Kumar and Sameer Sharma respectively, over unsettled matters of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.

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The agenda of the meeting was divided between the discussion on bilateral and other issues. Around 11 issues were on the agenda including division of companies and corporations under Schedule 9, bifurcation of state institutions under Schedule 10, apportionment of institutions not mentioned anywhere in the Act, division of Andhra Pradesh State Finance Corporation (APSFC), division of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) and Andhra Pradesh Heavy Machinery Engineering Ltd (APHMEL) among others.

Of 91 institutions listed under Schedule 9, there was no difference of opinion on 53 public sector undertakings (PSUs). Considering certain cases pending in the Telangana High Court, the Union Home Secretary referred the issue to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to examine all the court cases in consultation with the Law department. He also referred the matter of division of Andhra Pradesh State Finance Corporation (APSFC) to the MHA.

While Andhra Pradesh sought bifurcation of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), Telangana strongly objected to it and the only division which needs to be done is that of the equity of the then Andhra Pradesh State in Andhra Pradesh Heavy Machinery and Engineering Limited (APHMEL) with headquarters in Vijayawada.

On the division of Cash Credit amount due to Andhra Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (APSCSCL) from Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (TSCSCL) and release of Rice Subsidy for 2014-15 by the union Public Distribution Ministry to APSCSCL, the Centre agreed to transfer the subsidy amount due to Telangana as and when it received the same from Andhra Pradesh.

Both the States agreed to divide the cash and bank balance (funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes or Expenditure on Common Institutions or public debt pertaining to Externally Aided Projects), with the help of Comptroller and Auditor General of India to settle the issue. Further, the Home Secretary asked the Union Finance Ministry to release pending funds for development of backward districts in Telangana.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government strongly objected to amending the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act as was sought by the Andhra Pradesh government to address certain pending issues including anomaly in taxation matters among others.

The officials of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh linked to revenue, expenditure, finance, education, agriculture and many other departments participated in the meeting.