AMARAVATI: The Centre has asked Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to resolve pending issues over bifurcation through negotiation. Assuring that support would be extended in resolution of the issues, Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla asked the chief secretaries of both states to take the initiative to settle disputes.
The home secretary discussed the issue through a video-conference with chief secretaries and senior officials of AP and Telangana on Wednesday. He enquired about important issues that have been left unresolved in the last seven years since the bifurcation of the state.
Senior officials told the Union home secretary that bifurcation of non-cadre superintendents of police (SPs), additional SPs and DSPs were not yet resolved. Similarly, division of assets and debts of corporations listed in the Schedule IX of AP Reorganisation Act and Singareni Collieries were also left unresolved. Officials told Bhalla that provisions to levy taxes as per Sections 51,51 and 56 of the Reorganisation Act are also pending resolution.
AP chief secretary Adityanath Das urged Bhalla to prevail upon Telangana to clear AP’s power supply dues to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore, pointing out that Telangana has to pay the amount to AP Genco for supply of power after bifurcation of the state.
Bhalla asked Das to negotiate with the chief secretary of Telangana to resolve the issue. Das also brought to the home secretary’s notice that division of assets of AP Bhavan in Delhi and shifting of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to AP needed early resolution.
Das requested Bhalla to ask Telangana to honour the recommendations of Sheela Bhide committee for division of assets listed under Schedule IX of the Act.
