Antony panel bats for people’s safety

Taking a sympathetic view of the concerns being raised by Congress leaders from Seemandhra, the Centre is contemplating incorporating provisions in the draft bill on bifurcation that will instil confidence among the people of the region with business interests and those settled in Hyderabad.

An indication that the Centre as well as the Congress leadership is serious about this issue can be gauged from the fact that the A.K. Antony Committee constituted by the party to look into the issue of protecting the interests of all the three regions made a detailed mention of the steps needed for people’s safety in its report.

According to the report, a copy of which is available with

The Hindu , because of provocative statements by TRS leaders, there has been great amount of concern and nervousness among the people of Seemandhra, who have acquired property and set up business in Hyderabad.

“The committee strongly recommends that adequate provisions be provided in the draft bill, which instils confidence among Seemandhra people,” the report said.

Significantly, it stated that the bill should have a provision to ensure that the government of Telangana in future does not pass legislation to acquire property and business with retrospective effect.

The report also makes a mention of Hyderabad as the common capital, stating that the twin cities have been the centre of development, and the most contentious issue between Telangana and Seemandhra people. It looked into three options such as revenue district of Hyderabad, area of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HDMA).

Sources said after going through various representations, the committee had suggested the second option of boundary of the GHMC, which includes the Police Commissioner’s jurisdiction of the twin cities as well as that of the Cyberabad Commissionerate.

It also gives relief to the people of the Seemandhra region in terms of education facilities by recommending that as most educational institutions are located in Hyderabad, the same principles of admission should continue for the next 10 years as they existed today. Yet another issue raised in the report is about the sharing of tax revenue. It mentioned that with many companies paying taxes are registered in Hyderabad, most of the state revenue is collected from the city. On industries, the report said tax benefit package as given to the hill States of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Assam for the next 10 years should be given as most industries in the manufacturing and IT sectors had been set up in and around Hyderabad.