Hyderabad: With the Parliament Budget Session commencing from Monday, there is still suspense over whether the Centre will introduce the delimitation Bill to increase the number of Assembly seats in Telangana state and AP.
There was no response from the government on the issue at the all-party leaders’ meeting held by parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar and attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Sunday evening.
TD floor leader Thota Narasimham mentioned the Bill and asked the government to bring the amendment in the Budget Session. TD Rajya Sabha member C.M. Ramesh said, “There was no response on our request, they (ministers) have only noted the points. It is not clear whether or not the Cabinet has approved the amendment.”
TD floor leader in the Lok Sabha Thota Narasimham listed out a few issues for the consideration of the government including appointing a task force to oversee implementation of assurances and pending issues in the bifurcation Act.
He said during the meeting of AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu with the Prime Minister recently, there was an assurance to appoint the task force. He said the government should implement all promises including release of funds promised under special package announced last year.
He also appealed to the Centre to announce its decision on establishing the railway zone at Visakhapatnam in the Budget Session. He said the TD would extend its support to the government, but the Centre should reciprocate by way of implementing pending promises.
TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha A.P. Jitender Reddy mentioned the pending issues concerning Telangana state including allocation of funds to the Bibinagar AIIMS, coach factory at Kazipet, release of '900 crore pending funds under Centrally sponsored schemes.
Speaking to this newspaper, Mr Jitender Reddy said as per the indications Centre was not going to amend the delimitation Bill. He said the amendment did not have Cabinet approval so far.
