Panels to allot staff for bifurcated states

The Centre has put in motion the process of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh by setting up two panels for allocation of government employees to the newly formed Telangana and the residual state.

A special unit would be set up in the Planning Commission next week to address the development needs of the residual state of Andhra Pradesh. This unit, to be headed by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, will also ensure adequate financing for the residual state.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh cited the cases of creation of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand.

“No decision has been taken on the appointed day (for Andhra Pradesh). But, it has been three months,” he said.

The minister said the appointed day of both Seemandhra and Telangana will be fixed in such a manner that a lot of preparatory work for division of cadre,  allocation of assets and liabilities and other preparations is completed.

The Department of Personnel and Training has set up two committees – one to allocate officers of the All India Services to the two states and the other to allocate state level employees. There are roughly 84,000 state government employees in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

Ramesh said the Centre would issue an Ordinance, if required, to ensure that the people of Seemandhra get land for rehabilitation of persons affected by the Polavaram project from Khammam district of the proposed state of Telangana.