The Telangana government has reiterated that it was against the recommendations made by Sheela Bhide Committee on bifurcation of 22 of the 91 government corporations/companies between the two Telugu States.
The official delegation led by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar clarified that there is no difference of opinion on the bifurcation of 53 public sector units and division of 15 other PSUs was agreeable to Telangana, but not to A.P. The main issue was regarding the definition of headquarters and the Union Home Ministry had clarified way back in 2017 that the location where the principal office building was located would be considered as headquarters.
The State officials were responding to the Andhra Pradesh government’s contention that Sheela Bhide Committee’s recommendations should be implemented in full. The Telangana delegation has strongly defended the State’s stand on bifurcation of Schedule IX institutions during the meeting convened by Union Home Secretary at New Delhi on Tuesday.
Pending in court
The Chief Secretary made clear that there were cases pending in High Court of Telangana with respect to certain institutions and no further action would be initiated till the matter was settled by the court. Cases with respect to the definition of the headquarters were also pending. Responding to A.P.’s claims on Deccan Infrastructure and Land Holdings Limited, the Chief Secretary explained that the State government had resumed the lands that were unutilised by DILL in 2015 and the neighbouring State government had obtained interim stay orders by approaching the High Court.
“The expert committee has recommended for division of these properties treating them as headquarters in spite of the objections raised by Telangana,” the Chief Secretary asserted. In respect of the AP Dairy Development Corporation, the Chief Secretary recalled that the Telangana High Court declared that the Union Home Ministry had no jurisdiction with respect to apportionment of assets and liabilities of Schedule IX institutions. As the stalemate continued to evade a solution, the Home Secretary directed the Ministry to examine all the court cases in consultation with the Law department.
