Union Cabinet Approves Telangana Bill Thursday Feb 06,2014

The Union Cabinet on Thursday Feb 06,2014 night approved a bill for the creation of a Telangana state with 10 districts, paving the way for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh to give birth to the country’s 29th state

The Cabinet has broadly approved most of the recommendations made by the Group of Ministers (GOM)constituted to consider the contentious issues.

The bill will go to President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday or Saturday, with a request to make a reference to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for its views, the Home Minister told journalists after a three-hour Cabinet meeting

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill cleared by the special meeting of the Cabinet retains the provisions of the draft sent to the Andhra Pradesh legislature in December 2013  Dropping a controversial move to add two districts of Rayalaseema to Telangana, which was opposed by various stakeholders, the cabinet, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved a draft reorganisation bill based on recommendations of Group of Ministers (GoM)        Notwithstanding opposition from within Congress and outside, the Union Cabinet today cleared the Telangana Bill which will be introduced in Parliament on February 12. The controversial bill will be presented in the Rajya Sabha in the present form and the government will move 32 amendments when it is taken up for consideration.

The GoM, headed by home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, had contemplated creation of Rayalatelangana by adding Anantapur and Kurnool districts of the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh to the proposed state.

However, differences between members of the GoM and stiff opposition by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and even senior Congress ministers from Andhra Pradesh, led to the proposal being finally shelved.

Highlights of the Bill 

• Telangana will comprise 10 districts and the rest of Andhra Pradesh comprises 13 districts.

• Hyderabad will remain the common capital for both the states for a period not exceeding 10 years.
• The Governor of Telangana will have a special responsibility for security of life, liberty and property of all those who reside in the common capital area.
• The Governor may be assisted by two advisors to be appointed by the Government of India.
• The government of India will extend financial and other support to the creation of a new capital for the successor state of Andhra Pradesh to be idendified by an expert committee.
• Institutional mechanism with full involvement and participation of government of India will be put in place to manage water resources and projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers in an amicable and equitable manner.
• Polavaram will be declared as a national project and will be executed by the union government following all environmental and R&R norms.
• Detailed provisions have been made in the bill on matters relating to coal, power, oil and gas, division of assets and liabilities and allocation of government employees.
• The government of India will assist the two states in augumenting their police forces for maintaining public order.
• Article 371 D will continue for the both states to ensure equitable opportunities for education and public employment.
• Existing admission quotas in higher technical and medical institutions will continue for a period not exceding five years.
• Special economic package for backward regions of both the states.
• There will be two High Courts. Hyderabad High Court will be part of Telangana and it will be the High Court for both the states till a new High Court is set up in Seemandhra region.
• Both the states will have a joint Public Service Commission till each one has its own Commission.
• Singareni coal fields will go to government of Telangana.