Thinking outside the box with…Open mind

Hyderabad: The stage is set for the crucial meeting between the Chief Ministers of the two Telugu states on Saturday.

Both the Chief Ministers -- N Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh and A Revanth Reddy of Telangana -- said they would be discussing various pending contentious issues with an open mind and will adopt a give-and-take policy. They said they are confident that the face-to-face meeting would help find amicable solution to most of the issues between the two states.

From Andhra Pradesh, apart from Naidu three ministers -- Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, R&B Minister Janardhan Reddy and Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh—besides the Chief Secretary and other secretaries would be participating in the meeting. The Telangana government will be represented by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Tummala Nageswara Rao and Seetakka, besides the Chief Secretary and other officials.

The most interesting issue that would be discussed would be the de-merger of the five villages of Bhadrachalam which were transferred to AP through an ordinance after the bifurcation of the state. These villages are suffering as they are within the geographical area of Telangana. About 917 acres of temple land is there which includes hot springs. They are not part of the seven mandals that were merged with AP, officials say. If AP shows magnanimity and returns them, it would help in the development of these villages as well as the development of the temple, they claim.

From Telangana, the AP government is likely to raise the issues such as the payment of Rs 24,000 crore power dues, division of assets and institutions between the two states under Schedule 9 and Schedule 10 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.

The two states had already agreed to distribute the assets of 68 organizations. However, they are yet to arrive at consensus regarding the distribution of 23 institutions. Similarly, there is a dispute over the division of 30 institutions, of the 142, including the Telugu Academy, Telugu University and Ambedkar University. Officials said that Krishna water sharing, Polavaram project and merger of five villages in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district would also be discussed.

The Andhra Pradesh government apart from the distribution of assets and power dues is likely to raise the issue of AP State Financial Corporation, apportionment of debt of 15 externally aided projects between AP and TS, exchange of employees, division of Labour cess, reimbursement of expenditure on common institutions and retention of three buildings in Hyderabad.