Centre to move note for creation of Telangana in 20 days

Despite protests in the Seemandhra region, the Centre on Monday said it would move a note initiating the process to create Telangana state for consideration of the Union Cabinet in the next 20 days.

“We are preparing a note to pass a resolution in the Cabinet. After we finalise the note, it will be sent to the Law Ministry for legal vetting. I hope the note will be presented before the Cabinet within 20 days," Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said.
The note is expected to set in motion the process of carving out India’s 29th state and also constitute a Group of Ministers to examine the finer aspects such as sharing of resources, division of assets and liabilities, safety and security of all residents and putting in place legal and administrative measures on making Hyderabad the joint capital of Telangana and the remaining state of Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, a high-level Congress committee chaired by Defence Minister A K Antony is hearing petitions from leaders across Andhra Pradesh, particularly from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions which are witnessing widespread protests over the decision to carve out Telangana.

A large number of leaders from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra – jointly called Seemandhra – have expressed their unhappiness over the formation of Telangana with a number of MPs protesting in both Houses of Parliament, leading to repeated disruptions. The Antony Committee has received several suggestions, including trifurcation of the state into Telangana, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. Some leaders from Rayalaseema have demanded inclusion of two districts from the region – Anantapur and Kurnool – into Telangana.

A section of leaders from Telangana has strongly protested this demand contending that the move would defeat the purpose of creating a separate state.

The committee is expected to focus on the status of Hyderabad and assuage the feelings of people from Seemandhra who had played a key role in developing the IT hub, where a number of educational, research and strategic institutions are located.