Hyderabad: Bifurcation blues in the two Telugu states of AP and Telangana are all set to subside in 2018 with both the state governments agreeing to an amicable “give and take” approach on contentious issues.
United AP was divided in June 2014 but the bifurcation of employees took three years to complete in 2017 after overcoming several disputes and controversies. The vexed issue could be finally resolved in its entirety with the two state governments expressing mutual cooperation.
The stage is now set for bifurcation of common institutions listed under Schedule IX and X of the AP Reorganisation Act in 2018.
While Andhra Pradesh continues to face challenges on the financial front with its revenue deficit still hovering around Rs 3,000 crore, the TS government has been facing hurdles in the execution of its flagship irrigation projects due to legal and environmental issues. On the political front, the ruling parties in both the states emerged stronger with electoral wins and defections from other parties.
The contentious issue of division of High Court in Hyderabad between both the states hanging fire for the past three-and-a- half years finally found a breakthrough towards the end of 2017 with AP recently writing to the Centre expressing willingness to provide temporary accommodation to house a High Court in Amaravati paving way for division of High Court in 2018.
Similarly, both the governments came forward to adopt a “give and take” approach on division of common institutions, mostly located in Hyderabad. AP and TS are willing to leave the institutions which have no major assets or funds to the states where they are geographically located.
The TS government is stepping up efforts to secure jurisdiction over the projects from the Centre in 2018 that were promised under the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. TS is yet to get SAIL steel plant in Bayyaram, the railway coach factory at Kazipeet, AIIMS, the tribal university etc as promised in the bifurcation Act.
Though the Centre sanctioned 38 institutions to AP that were promised in bifurcation Act, the difficulty faced is paucity of funds. These institutions are operating from temporary buildings and campuses, and the state government is not in a position to construct permanent buildings due to lack of funds from the Centre.
