Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telangana may submit its report on Andhra Pradesh’s bifurcation to the Union Cabinet on Thursday.
The GoM, whose main task is to look into the state’s division, has already finalised the report as well as the draft Bill on Telangana.
While the Union Cabinet does have a scheduled meeting today, the GoM was not forthcoming on whether it will present the draft Bill today. Bill but remained non-committal on when it will be submitted to the Union Cabinet.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who heads the GoM, yesterday said: "Some discussions are still left. I cannot say when the GoM will submit the report to Cabinet."
Shinde made the remarks after chairing a four-hour long meeting of the GoM wherein various issues concerning the bifurcation and distribution of assets between the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were discussed. The GoM has already met leaders of eight political parties, Union ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and state officials over the last month and sought their opinion on distribution of assets and other issues between the new state and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.
The Home Minister has remarked earlier that the Telangana Bill would be tabled in the Winter Session of Parliament.
Once the Cabinet puts its stamp of approval on the Bill, the proposal will be forwarded to President Pranab Mukherjee who in turn will refer it to Andhra Pradesh Assembly for approval. However, the Assembly resolution is not binding under the Constitution.
The Union Cabinet then can consider the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill and with Union Cabinet`s approval, it will send it to the President before being tabled in Parliament.
The Winter Session of Parliament commences on December 5 and will conclude on December 20.