Telangana and Andhra Pradesh agree to resolve all issues

Hyderabad: Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh vowed to amicably settle all outstanding issues pertaining to AP Reorganisation Act, including the Secretariat buildings and others, before Governor ESL Narasimhan. The first meeting  on Wednesday between Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao’s team from Telangana and AP Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu’s team ended on a cordial note.

Both states agreed to meet on February 9 again and take up pending issues one by one. They also agreed to have meetings in the AP capital Amravati soon. The Governor reportedly advised them to settle all outstanding issues across the table and not go to court. They could also try to settle them through their officers. After the meeting at Raj Bhavan, Harish Rao called it a preliminary one held in a friendly environment.

“The first meeting was quite cordial. All pending issues would be prioritised and sent to the Governor’s office in two or three days for the February 9 meet. We will try our best to settle all issues in an amicable and give-and-take manner while protecting the interests of the State and those of the employees,” said Harish Rao. Asked about the issues to be taken up, he said that all issues pertaining to the AP Reorganisation Act, including those listed in Schedule 9 and 10, the High Court bifurcation, the handing over of buildings including Secretariat buildings held by AP and issues of the government and electricity employees, etc., would be taken up.

The AP finance minister said all issues would be settled, “mutually and amicably. This is our opinion, that of our Telangana counterparts, Harish and others.” The Andhra Pradesh government requested the governor to hold two meetings in the AP capital Amravati, after the February 9 meeting. Narasimhan promised to consider the plea since there was no objection from Telangana. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, who was accompanied by Atchannaidu and Kalva Srinivas, said that some issues were raised by the Telangana government and some by them.

Energy Minister A Jagdish Reddy and Advisor to the Government, G Vivekananda, who accompanied Harish Rao, said that the Telangana government sought cordial relations with its neighbours. “Issues which can be sorted out easily will be taken up first and the complicated ones later. The problem of the power sector employees is genuine and they are facing hardships. Some have gone to court. We will see that 2 or 3 issues would be resolved at the next meeting,” he hoped.