Telangana to be India's 29th state?

Two important meetings will be held before the big announcement this evening Tuesday July 30,2013

First, the Congress's top leaders like Sonia Gandhi and the PM will meet their allies who participate in the government to share the blueprint of the new state.

Then, the Congress's top decision-making body, the working Committee(CWC)will formally endorse the decision taken on Friday by Mrs Gandhi to grant statehood to Telangana.

The non-Telangana regions have over the last few days held large protests for "a united Andhra." The centre has sent an additional 1,000 para-military soldiers to these areas to keep the calm.

On July 30,2013 Tuesday Evening, the central government is likely to announce that the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh will become India's 29th state.  If that happens, this is the process that will be followed to create the new state:

• The actual formation of the state is expected to be completed by early next year.
• The cabinet will share its plans with President Pranab Mukherjee and the Andhra Pradesh legislature will be asked for insights.
• The PM will then set up a committee to negotiate consensus between the leaders from the three regions of the state for issues like how to share revenue and water.
• Both Houses of Parliament will have to then pass the resolution for the creation of a separate state.

Andhra Pradesh consists of 3 regions-

• Telangana
• Coastal Andhra and
• Rayalseema

The non-Telangana regions have over the last few days held large protests for "a united Andhra." The centre has sent an additional 1,000 para-military soldiers to these areas to keep the calm

The process in the creation of the new state will be -

 

• The Central Govt would send the CWC resolution to the State Assembly to seek its views (its approval is not required), after which it will go to the Union Cabinet

• A Group of Ministers to address all the issues of Telangana and Seemandhra — the sharing of waters, revenue, land, power, assets and liabilities — will then be set up

• The Union Cabinet will then ask the Union Law Ministry to draft a bill that will be sent to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for its comments

• Next, the Union Home Ministry will make adequate provisions, incorporating the suggestions

• After this, the Govt-approved draft bill will be sent to the President; Parliament will then have to pass the bill in both the Houses by a simple majority

• The final step: it will go back to the President for notification

Telangana will be India's 29th state

 

 The decision was unanimously cleared this evening Tuesday July 30,2013, first by the different members of the prime minister's coalition, and then by the Congress's most senior decision-making agency, its Working Committee(CWC)

 

PM Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi during the CWC meeting on Telangana in New Delhi

 PM Manmohan Singh, UPA chief Sonia Gandhi and other leaders during the UPA meeting on Telangana at PM's residence

 UPA meeting being watched live by Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K. Chandrasekhara Rao, party's secretary general K. Keshava Rao along with senior leaders, at Telengana Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday

The bill to create Telangana is expected to reach Parliament in the next four to five months, probably in the winter session. Before this it will go to President Pranab Mukherjee and the Andhra assembly.

 

What's Telangana about:

1. Telangana would be the 29th state of Independent India.

2. The Telangana region comprises 10 districts: Hyderabad, Adilabad, Khammam, Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Rangareddy, and Warangal.

3. Apart from Telangana, Andra Pradesh consists of two other parts namely Coastal Andra and Rayalaseema.

4. According to sources, violence that came along with the Telangana merger demand has consumed more than 1000 lives over last three years, which includes numerous cases of self immolation.

5. The sharing of the capital city Hyderabad had long been the bone of contention in the separation struggle.

6. Pro-Telangana people put forward a notion that 45% of the state income comes from Telangana but when it comes to utilization of funds, its share is only 28%.

7. Proponents of a separate Telangana state cite perceived injustices in the distribution of water, budget allocations, and jobs

 

Telangana Timeline

1948: The Indian Army annexed princely state of Hyderabad, which had different regions including Telangana.

1950: Telangana became Hyderabad State with appointment of a senior administrator M.A. Vellodi as the chief minister.

1952: First elections were held in Hyderabad State. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao became the first elected chief minister.

Nov 1, 1956: Telangana was merged with Andhra State, which was carved out of Madras State, to form Andhra Pradesh, a united state for Telugu-speaking people.

1969: 'Jai Telangana' movement for separate statehood to Telangana began. Over 300 people killed in police firing.

1972: 'Jai Andhra' movement began in coastal Andhra for separate Andhra state.

1975: Presidential order issued to implement Six-Point Formula, providing some safeguards to Telangana.

1997: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported demand for Telangana state and in 1998 elections promised 'one vote two states'.

2001: K. Chandrasekhara Rao floated Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to revive the Telangana movement.

2004: TRS fought elections in alliance with the Congress, won 5 Lok Sabha and 26 assembly seats. The UPA included the issue in its common minimum programme and formed a three-member committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee.

2008: TDP announced support for Telangana demand.

2009: TRS contested elections in alliance with TDP but its tally came down to two Lok Sabha and 10 assembly seats.

Sep 2, 2009: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy died in helicopter crash, triggering political uncertainty.

Oct, 2009: Chandrasekhara Rao began fast-unto-death for separate Telangana state.

Dec 9, 2009: Centre announced its decision to initiate the process for formation of Telangana state.

Dec 23, 2009: Following protests in Rayalaseema and Andhra regions and en mass resignations of MPs and state legislators, the centre put the process on hold, citing need for consensus.

Feb 3, 2010: Centre set up five-member Srikrishna Committee to look into Telangana issue.

Dec, 2010: Srikrishna Committee submitted its report, suggested six options.

Dec 28, 2012: Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde announced after an all-party meeting that a decision will be announced in a month.

July 1, 2013: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh announced that a decision on Telangana is in final stages.

July 12, 2013: Congress core group met on Telangana to discuss reports by the chief minister, deputy chief minister and state Congress chief.

July 26, 2013: Congress core group held another meeting, Digvijaya Singh said Congress Working Committee (CWC) and UPA will take a final decision.

July 30, 2013: UPA coordination panel and CWC met and decided to carve out Telangana state.