Andhra Pradesh: Race to bifurcate state by May 15 begins

 

Union home secretary Anil Goswami is arriving in the city on May 12 to personally monitor the progress of bifurcation. 

Arrangements are being made to allot a budget amounting to Rs 26,000 crore for Telangana and Rs 36,000 crore for AP for the June-August period. This is to ensure that both the government do not face any financial problem immediately after bifurcation. 

 

Both the governments can later formulate their own full-fledged budgets for September-March period and seek approval of Legislative Assemblies. 

A Budget Release Order (BRO) for Telangana amounting to Rs 26,000 crore for the June-August period has been sent for approval of the Governor and will be issued by May 15 enabling the Telangana government to utilise the funds to run the administration.

 

This is being done by dividing the vote-on-account budget which was approved by Legislative Assembly in united state in March this year which will be applicable for the six-month period till September.

 

Chief secretary P.K. Mohanty is busy shuttling between Hyderabad and New Delhi and meeting officials of various Union ministries to apprise them about the status of bifurcation besides holding regular meetings with 22 state-level panels set up to monitor the bifurcation process.

 

The division of the Secretariat has already been completed with allotment of blocks for Telangana and AP governments. The chambers for CMs, council of ministers and CSs of both the states besides Legislative Assembly (old Assembly building) and Legislative Council (Jubilee Hall) for AP are being readied at an expense of nearly Rs 5.50 crore. These buildings will be ready by May 27.

 

While the division of DGP office, CID office etc has already been completed, the process of dividing 20 corporations including APSRTC, civil supplies, APCOB etc is in final stages.

Enough precautions are being taken to ensure that the renovations being done for buildings in Hyderabad to accommodate both Telaganana and AP offices are on 'permanent-basis' and remain useful for Telangana government even after AP offices shift to their state after 10-year common capital period.

 

Thousands of files in Secretariat which are related to both Telangana and AP governments are being digitised to ensure that no problems arise in future in case files get lost due to any unforeseen circumstances.

 

 

Officers can give only one “preference”, either Telangana or Andhra Pradesh or both. They also need to give a written undertaking on their willingness to work anywhere after bifurcation of state. This is different from “options” to be given to state employees who can choose the state of their choice.

 

In the case of AIS officers, they can only give their “preference” and the Centre decide whether to accept it or not depending on needs of both the states after bifurcation. 

 

Though IAS officers have demanded “options” like employees, the Telangana Bill has no such provision for them. The Kamalnathan Committee constituted for division of employees is in the process of finalising modalities for division of employees.  

 

 

These modalities are expected to be announced  only after counting of votes on May 16. On Thursday, the EC issued orders asking the government not to initiate division of staff before May 16 since it will impact the counting of votes in which employees from all regions participate.

 

Chief secretary P.K. Mohanty warned heads of departments of disciplinary action if they fail to furnish details of their employees by May 16. Huge anomalies were found in data submitted by HoDs regarding number of sanctioned posts and employees working. It was found that there are excess posts in 53 departments and fewer posts in 107 departments when compared to employee numbers.

 

The CS said that he will hold meeting with all HoDs on May 13, 14 and 15 to rectify the discrepancies. He warned of disciplinary action against HoDs if any anomalies are found after these meetings.