Centre’s new formula to solve Telangana tangle

Amid concerns that the creation of Telangana could fan fire in other states, the Centre is considering the Gorkhaland model for Andhra Pradesh.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi/Hyderabad: Amid concerns that the creation of Telangana could fan fire in other states, the Centre is considering the Gorkhaland model for Andhra Pradesh.

Highly-placed sources said the UPA government is mulling setting up a Telangana Territorial Administration. If the government makes up its mind on such a move, then it would have to further amend Article 371 (D) which would require a two-third majority approval of Parliament, a leading English daily said.

The Article has already provided a special status for 10 backward districts of the Telangana region, the daily added.

Sources said the Telangana Territorial Administration, on the lines of Gorkhaland, could be created without splitting the state of Andhra Pradesh. The Telangana Territorial Administration would be an autonomous body with which will have greater financial and administrative powers. Further, it would be administered by an elected chief executive and members of the council.

The government is expected to announce a decision on Telangana before January 28 – the deadline set by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. The decision could come before January 28 as the Home Minister is due to leave for a Bangladesh visit on January 27.

By treading the middle path, the Centre is seeking to ensure peace prevails in both Telangana and Seemandhra regions. It may also choose to call the move an experiment.

The Telangana decision would also help calm tempers in West Bengal where the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration has already warned of restarting its movement for a separate state. If the government carves out a separate state from Andhra Pradesh, the same could have a cascading effect in West Bengal.

A panel set up by the Union government to look into the Telangana issue too had suggested a similar move.

“The united Andhra option is being suggested for continuing the development momentum of the three regions and keeping in mind the national perspective. With firm political and administrative management it should be possible to convey conviction to the people that this option would be in the best interest of all and would provide satisfaction to the maximum number of the people in the State.

“It would also take care of the uncertainty over the future of Hyderabad as a bustling, educational, industrial and IT hub/destination. For management of water and irrigation resources on an equitable basis, a technical body, i.e., Water Management Board and an Irrigation Project Development Corporation in expanded role have been recommended. The above course of action should meet all the issues raised by Telangana people satisfactorily,” the Committee had stated in its report.

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