HYDERABAD: The row over bifurcation of Andhra Bhavan, located in Delhi, between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana would be resolved by the chief ministers of the sibling States shortly, senior officials of AP and TS informed Union Home Ministry Secretary Ajay Bhalla during a meeting in Delhi on Wednesday.
The Home Ministry held a meeting to resolve the pending issues between AP and TS over the institutions and corporations listed in the Schedule IX and X of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
During the meeting, the senior officials of AP and TS informed the Home Ministry that both the States would discuss and resolve the bifurcation of AP Bhavan issue.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will meet again to resolve the AP Bhavan issue and other issues of the AP Reorganisation Act.
Nine issues discussed
During Wednesday’s meeting, the Home Ministry discussed nine issues, including the row over the promotion of Police DySPs, creation of supernumerary posts in power utility as suggested recently by DM Dharmadhikari Committee and income tax arrears of some institutions.
Chief Secretaries SK Joshi (TS) and LV Subrahmanyam (AP) along with State’s Reorganisation Department secretaries L Prem Chandra Reddy and K Rama Krishna Rao attended the meeting. According to information received here, the TS approved the division of 68 institutions as recommended by the Sheela Bhide Committee.
However, the bifurcation of another 14 institutions were pending, as the AP wanted the Home Ministry to define the Head Quarters before bifurcating them. The AP officials wanted share in the assets of Head Quarter buildings. For example, the AP is seeking share in Bus Bhavan and even the RTC dispensary in the city.
Rs 3,000 cr tax dues
According to sources, AP also wanted bifurcation of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and Andhra Pradesh Heavy Machinery & Engineering Limited (APHMEL), located in Telangana and AP respectively. As the TS wanted APHMEL, the AP wanted share in SCCL and wanted the Home Ministry to bifurcate them in 42:58 ratio between the two states as per the population ratio. However, the demand of AP was against the Act, the TS officials stated and quoted section 90 of the Act.
According to sources, the payment of tax dues of Rs 3,000 crore also figured in the discussions. The tax arrears too should be divided between AP and TS, the AP officials said. However, the TS disputed with the figure and stated that the tax arrears would not be so high. If there were dues, the TS would pay them as TS would get the Head Quarter assets. The Home Secretary also discussed the institutions listed in Schedule X of AP Reorganisation Act.