The inequality between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh before the bifurcation of the State was much less than what it is now, according to D. Narasimha Reddy, former Professor from Hyderabad Central University. He was addressing the first seminar in a series planned on ‘Understanding and reimageiing Andhra Pradesh: A critical appraisal of developments after 2014’, organised by the Institute for Research on Andhra Pradesh (IRAP).
He said the chief concerns raised by Telangana before the division -- funds, irrigation and employment -- were that of Andhra Pradesh’s post-division.
The combined Andhra Pradesh was one of the fast emerging southern States but the truncated State of AP now was reduced to an agriculture-based economy, saddled with one of the largest drought-prone areas besides the bane of regular cyclones. The State is devoid of the service sector and the white papers coming out show the volatility of the agriculture sector facing serious crisis.
He said the division was largely due to the ignorance of the welfare of certain backward regions of Telangana and voices of dissent.
Post-bifurcation, Prof. Reddy said, the State adopted a course, different from what it ought to have been. Building a grand capital city became its top priority instead of addressing the agriculture crisis and think of developing proper infrastructure facilities.
He said manipulation of data to portray growth of the agriculture sector which had been in doldrums what with the farmers’ suicides, drought and cyclones, only precipitated the crisis.
Call for rethinking
Calling for a rethinking on key policies, he said it was imperative to address critical issues that had been neglected for long.
Explaining about IRAP, he said the declining support to social sciences from the States had necessitated such research institutions that can engage people in key issues related to their welfare. “Unlike for science and technology, support to social sciences is being cut down necessitating publicly-funded think tanks to take up people’s issues,” he said.
Prof. Reddy then answered queries from the audience on crucial issues that have been affecting the State after division.
Vamsi Vakulabharanam from University of Massachusetts, moderated the session.
