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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Special Correspondent

‘Centre failed to keep assurances given to TS in bifurcation Act’

Members of Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Congress and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen have alleged that the BJP-led Government at the Centre has failed to keep many assurances and promises made to Telangana in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act even eight years after formation of the State.

Speaking as part of a short discussion on “failure of central government in implementing assurance given under the AP Reorganisation Act” in the Assembly on Tuesday, Jaffar Hussain (AIMIM), P. Sudarshan Reddy (TRS) and M. Bhatti Vikramarka (Congress) alleged that the Centre was doing grave injustice to Telangana as it had not kept promises such as Bayyaram steel plant, Kazipet railway coach factory, tribal university and several others. However, M. Raghunandan Rao of BJP blamed the Congress and the TRS for the same.

Mr. Sudarshan Reddy alleged that the Centre was trying to boss over the water resources by establishing two river boards without finalising the water shares of Telangana. It was also sitting over the clearances sought for several Godavari Basin projects by Telangana. Instead it was planning to divert water to Cauvery Basin without clearing the projects within the basin if there was abundant water.

Further, he stated that Centre was not making A.P. pay Telangana ₹405 crore spent by Telangana for the maintenance of joint institutions such as High Court, Assembly, Secretariat and other offices. Another ₹456 crore of Telangana share in AP Bhavana Karmika Sangham was also not being shared.

Mr. Vikramarka said it was because of the Congress efforts about 2 lakh acres of geographical area comprising 7 mandals and Lower Sileru project in the erstwhile Khammam district, which were given to A.P. in the reorganisation bill, was retained with Telangana with the help of an amendment. However, the same was transferred by the BJP Government without even consulting Telangana.

He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was spitting venom against Telangana faulting the very process of bifurcation terming it as child saved by killing mother. It would explain his hate for Telangana as he reiterated at every given opportunity. He suggested the State Government to prepare an action plan to achieve the bifurcation promises.

Later, Minister T. Harish Rao gave the example of Upper Bhadra (Karnataka) and Ken-Betwa (MP-UP) projects getting national status after rejecting it for Kaleshwaram or any other project (Palamuru-Rangareddy) in Telangana. He alleged that the Centre was also neglecting the Supreme Court verdict on the division of Schedule 9 and 10 institutions’ assets as also in sanctioning educational and other institutions and industries to Telangana.

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