Paying of pending bills may spark fresh row between Telangana and AP

Before the state’s bifurcation, during President’s Rule, the government had asked officials to clear all bills by May 25. By then the various bills for clearance had totaled to around Rs 200 crore. However, due to lack of funds the bills were not cleared.

After the bifurcation, the apex body headed by the Governor had asked the Telangana state government to pay the bills and the Andhra Pradesh government to transfer the funds of its share to the Telangana state government.

Between May 25 and June 2, some more bills worth Rs 3,000 crore arrived for clearance. The bills pertained to travel and dearness allowance of IAS, IPS and other officers, telephone, water and power bills and rent for hired vehicles in the undivided state.

Some bills belonged to Secretariat officials, some to other offices in the twin cities and some to the districts.

The Andhra Pradesh finance department had sent the file on the payment of bills of the united state to the apex body proposing that the bills belonging to the districts should be paid by the concerned districts.

Regarding Hyderabad and Secretariat bills, it said that both the governments should share them in the ratio of 42:58.

The apex body has to now take a decision on payment of bills belonging to the united state. The Telangana government, however, has not given its opinion on the issue. After the state’s bifurcation, the IAS, IPS and other government employees were divided between both the states. There is one school of thought that believes the bills of the officers should be paid by the concerned governments in which they are working now.

Sources said the apex body will meet soon and discuss payment of the pending bills. The chief secretaries of both the state governments are expected to give their opinions.