Contentious issues still remain: Jairam

3 months needed to sort out matters, says Minister

Union Minister Jairam Ramesh has reportedly told a group of Telangana Congress leaders that it would take a minimum of three months for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh States to be created, provided the key issues relating to distribution of government staff, assets and offices are completed.

“I have gone through all bifurcation processes in the recent past and it took at least three months for creation of new States after the notification. But in case of Andhra Pradesh, you have more contentious issues,” he was quoted as telling a group of former Ministers, party seniors and MPs from Telangana region, who called on him on Saturday in New Delhi.

Senior Congress leaders said that the Minister expressed his surprise that as many as 84,000 government servants would have to be divided between the two States. “Nowhere in the country has such large number of employees been distributed after bifurcation. All of them have to be accommodated as per their options,” he remarked.

The Minister is said to have pointed out that another area, which needs a closer look is distribution of assets and division of state-level government offices. “Due diligence and process have to be followed when the offices and assets are distributed,” he said and noted that it would take three months for the new State to be created.

He also had a word of caution for Telangana leaders advising them not to provoke their Seemandhra counterparts. Asserting that bifurcation was completed legally and constitutionally, he asked these leaders to have mutual trust among each other. “You should be magnanimous relating to sharing of river water. There should be no scope for any river water dispute. If that happens, the two sides will face tough time,” he said.

Mr. Jairam Ramesh said Telangana people should be lucky to have got Hyderabad as their capital. “It is the fifth largest city and no other State will have that privilege when a new State is created. You should understand that Andhra Pradesh State cannot build a word class capital overnight like Hyderabad,” he said.

It is understood that the Union Minister said initially he was against division of the State.

“Once madam made it clear that the State has to be divided in wake of the AICC and CWC decision, I put all my efforts to have healthy division,” he said.