Telangana reluctant to share Delhi assets with AP

 

The issue came up for discussion in the first meeting of a five-member committee constituted by the Centre to find an amicable solution between AP and Telangana states held at Delhi four days ago.

 

The combined Andhra Pradesh state has over 20 acre of land, worth crores of rupees in Delhi. 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao had written to his Telangana state counterpart Rajiv Sharma proposing constituting of committee with officials of both the states to commence distributing the assets located in New Delhi between the two states. However, the TS government has not responded to Mr Krishna Rao’s letters. In his letter Mr Krishna Rao said AP Bhavan and other properties situated in Delhi are to be apportioned between the successor states of AP and TS on the basis of population ratio as per the provisions in Section 48 of Andhra Pradesh Reor-ganisation Act 2014. 

 

Though AP Bhavan is temporarily allocated for use between both states, the exercise of apportionment has not yet commenced. The AP CS has suggested to his TS counterpart to constitute a committee consisting of Resident Commissioners of AP Bhavan and Telangana Bhavan Secretaries (Political) of both governments with AP Resident commissioner as the  Convenor.

 

He said if TS CS gives his consent, orders can be issued constituting the committee. However, even after several reminders, the TS government did not respond and send any opinion.

 

TS government’s argument is that the AP Bhavan belongs only to that state. A few months ago TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said that the AP Bhavan in Delhibelongs to Telangana state. He said, “AP Bhavan was Nizam’s property once and therefore, it belongs to Telangana and we will call it Telangana Bhavan.”

 

AP government’s argument is that the AP Bhavan and other properties should be apportioned between the two states on the basis of population ratio according to AP Reorganisation Act.