Centre plans all-party meeting to settle T-issues

Struggling to find a way ahead in the Telangana issue, the Centre on Wednesday decided to call an all-party meeting early next month on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh with a special emphasis on the terms of reference of the Group of Ministers (GoM) dealing with the issue.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who heads the GoM on Telangana, told reporters that the meeting would discuss various provisions of the terms of reference of the GoM and give suggestions.

The meeting is likely to be held before November 7 as the GoM is scheduled to meet on that day.

However, there was also a talk about the all-party meeting to be held on November 10. If the meeting takes place after November 7, then the next meeting of the GoM is likely to be postponed as the all-party deliberation is set to discuss the terms of reference of the high-powered panel.

The GoM has already met twice this month and has now asked public and parties to submit their suggestions in writing by November 5.

The ministerial panel has already held discussions regarding the sharing of river waters, power, distribution of assets and demarcation of boundaries.

According to the mandate, the GoM will seek opinions of stakeholders on all important issues while formulating its recommendations to the Union Cabinet.

The decision to bifurcate the state had met with violent protests in Seemandhra region. Telangana had erupted in anger in 2009 when the Centre was dithering over the issue.

Shinde has said that the GoM plans to submit its report to the Union Cabinet before the commencement of Parliament’s Winter Session beginning December 5.

However, he had refused to give a timeframe for the creation of the separate state of Telangana.

Even Congress ministers and MPs from Seemandhra were up in arms against the decision.

A Home Ministry panel is already in Hyderabad to discuss the issue of sharing security assets between the Telangana and Seemandhra regions.