The apportionment of properties of Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after almost a decade has rekindled hopes of amicable resolution of the pending bifurcation issues between the two Telugu States.
Though the two States reached broad agreement on several pending issues, stalemate persists in respect of some issues. The apportionment of 91 Schedule IX institutions, for instance, could not be completed as the AP Government was reportedly insisting on evolving a single formula for all the institutions together and this was opposed by Telangana.
“Recommendations made by the Sheila Bhide committee in relation to 68 out of the 91 institutions are acceptable to Telangana. There is also clarity on the definition of headquarters and location based division of institutions,” a senior official said adding that the Telangana Government was in favour of amicable resolution of issues pertaining to 23 institutions.
Given the manner in which the properties of AP Bhavan have been apportioned between the two States, resolution of pending issues will not be a difficult task if the discussions are taken up at the level of Chief Ministers, he said.
The apportionment of properties of AP Bhavan, spread over 19.7 acre prime land in the national capital valued at close to ₹10,000 crore, could be achieved as the two States agreed to the new option (option G) suggested by Telangana. The State had proposed the new option in such a manner that it went by the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 and took care of the interests of the two States.
According to the new formula, Telangana has been given 8.24 acres out of the 19.7 acres (41.68%) valued at ₹4,132 crore and Andhra Pradesh 11.53 acres (58.32%) valued at ₹5,781 crore in line with the population ratio prescribed in the Act.
Of the three properties — AP Bhavan, Nursing Hostel and Pataudi House, the two States agreed to share part of AP Bhavan and Pataudi House and the Nursing Hostel with 3.35 acres given to AP as its share.
The stalemate over the encroachments on 0.512 acre land, abutting the internal road in the complex, has also been resolved as the two States agreed for closure of the side gate of AP Bhavan for the convenience of people as well as in security. The decision had reduced the extent of the encroached area to 0.11 acre. The Union Home Ministry said, in the meeting on March 11, that the two States agreed to collaborate in removal of identified encroachments 0.069 acres by AP and 0.043 acres by Telangana duly following the process.
In case of encroachment not getting removed, 0.11 acres encroached area could be apportioned between the two States on population basis, DG (awards) of the Union Home Ministry who chaired the meeting said. “With this, the matter relating to division of properties of Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, New Delhi, stands resolved,” the Home Ministry said.
