Desaraju Surya
Hyderabad: In a damning indictment, the Comptroller and Auditor General today called the AP government's bluff saying its financial management was “grossly deficient.”
For a state that boasted of presenting its annual budget in excess of Rs one lakh crore for the last three years, the CAG’s latest observations were seen as a rap on its knuckles.
“Financial Management with regard to budgetary practices, expenditure controls and mobilisation of resources was deficient. In fact, budget estimates were totally unrealistic in the all years from 2006-07 to 2008-09 as there was either huge overestimation or underestimation,” the CAG observed in its report (civil) for the year ended March 31, 2009, which was tabled in the state Assembly.
The report was prepared by Principal Accountant General G N Sunder Raja.
The report pointed out to the “huge variations in budget estimates and actual expenditure” with “large unnecessary supplementary grants, non-surrender of anticipated savings (by different departments) and expenditure without provision.”
The CAG also found fault with the government’s tax recovery mechanism saying it was not effective.
“The tax recovery mechanism was not effective and the state government resorted to sale of lands for revenue mobilisation. Arrears of revenue accumulated to Rs 2,413 crore as of March 2008, of which Rs 862 crore (36 per cent) was due for more than five years,” the report said.
During 2006-09, the state government targeted to garner funds aggregating Rs 24,450 crore through sale of land. Against this, it could raise only Rs 10,578 crore (44 per cent) leaving a gap of Rs 13,872 crore. Of this, revenue realised during 2008-09 was just Rs 2,131 crore (18 per cent of the estimate). The percentage of actuals to Budget Estimates under Capital Account decelerated to 65.51 from 99.48 and 98.51 during 2007-08 and 2006-07 respectively, the CAG report noted.
Simultaneously, Revenue Expenditure registered a growth from Rs 39,648.83 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 58,624.76 crore in 2007-08.
“Such a dependence on sale of land would have been appropriate in extraordinary circumstances and that too after exhausting other avenues such as collection of tax arrears and tightening leakage of revenue,” the CAG observed.
Monitoring by Finance Department with regard to utilisation of 12th Finance Commission grants was ineffective resulting in non-release of further grants by the Government of India, the CAG said, adding that Rs 179.55 crore remained un-utilised in urban and rural local bodies.
The CAG, however, patted the government for not availing of Ways and Means Advances for four years in a row due to “better management of cash balances.”
The state government also received debt relief of Rs 1,186.31 crore and Rs 703.08 crore during 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively from Central Government under Debt Consolidation and Relief Facility due to “good fiscal performance”, the CAG report pointed out.
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Sunday, 28 March 2010
The "lull" before the storm?
Desaraju Surya
Hyderabad: There is a certain lull on the political scene in Andhra Pradesh in the past few days as compared to the intense turmoil witnessed over the Telangana separation issue since December last.
It was the five-member Srikrishna Committee, appointed by the Centre to study the situation in Andhra Pradesh, that has brought about the turnaround in the situation, so to say.
The ongoing Budget session of the state Legislature also holds mirror to the current scenario where disturbances, if any, were centered around issues concerning the people – like the unprecedented energy crisis, acute drinking water scarcity, irregularities in implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, etc. -- rather than political or the state separation demand.
The major political parties that had been engaged in on-street “struggles”, for and against the division of the state since December 9 last year, were confined to the drawing rooms over the last few days, busy drafting their respective points of view on the state bifurcation issue to be presented to the Srikrishna Committee. Their pre-occupation with this documentation process has left little scope for the political parties to engage in any other activity.
This is much pronounced in the Telangana region where even the staunch separatist outfit like the Telangana Rashtra Samiti has kept itself away from the now-extinct Political Joint Action Committee, focusing rather on its own agenda. “All our leaders are pre-occupied with the preparation of a comprehensive report for presentation to the Srikrishna Committee. As such they are not taking part in JAC activities,” TRS spokesman Jagadeeshwar Reddy said.
Of course, the JAC itself died a natural death after the Congress quietly walked out, followed by the BJP, and the Telugu Desam Party “expelled.”
“The state is indeed witnessing a semblance of order after a long gap,” local political analyst M Sivamuni pointed out.
That the political parties and students groups put the agitations on a “pause” mode contributed to an improved law and order situation and restored normalcy.
The Budget session of the state Legislature made the principal opposition Telugu Desam Party and its allies CPI and CPM focus their energies on issues confronting the people. Together they have been fighting the government on issues like price rise, power and drinking water crisis, corruption in NREGP works reservation for Muslims, etc. The BJP, which decided to “boycott” the Srikrishna Committee, has been busy with its organizational matters including election of a new state committee.
Amidst all this, there is hectic activity in the ruling Congress camp what with the long-overdue expansion and reshuffle of the state Cabinet expected to be taken up early April. Every legislator worth the name is virtually jumping over the other to display loyalty to Chief Minister K Rosaiah and remain in his good books as there is talk that he may drop half of his existing Council of Ministers and accommodate new ones.
The prevailing situation is expected to last at least for a few more months since the Srikrishna Committee is seriously into its job. The ensuing biennial elections to Rajya Sabha from the state, followed by polls to urban local bodies in September, will also keep the political parties engaged. Of course, by-elections to 12 Assembly seats in Telangana region -- vacated by 10 TRS legislators and one TDP and BJP MLA each -- should also be held before September.
The political parties will thus be fully “tied-up”, literally!
Hyderabad: There is a certain lull on the political scene in Andhra Pradesh in the past few days as compared to the intense turmoil witnessed over the Telangana separation issue since December last.
It was the five-member Srikrishna Committee, appointed by the Centre to study the situation in Andhra Pradesh, that has brought about the turnaround in the situation, so to say.
The ongoing Budget session of the state Legislature also holds mirror to the current scenario where disturbances, if any, were centered around issues concerning the people – like the unprecedented energy crisis, acute drinking water scarcity, irregularities in implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, etc. -- rather than political or the state separation demand.
The major political parties that had been engaged in on-street “struggles”, for and against the division of the state since December 9 last year, were confined to the drawing rooms over the last few days, busy drafting their respective points of view on the state bifurcation issue to be presented to the Srikrishna Committee. Their pre-occupation with this documentation process has left little scope for the political parties to engage in any other activity.
This is much pronounced in the Telangana region where even the staunch separatist outfit like the Telangana Rashtra Samiti has kept itself away from the now-extinct Political Joint Action Committee, focusing rather on its own agenda. “All our leaders are pre-occupied with the preparation of a comprehensive report for presentation to the Srikrishna Committee. As such they are not taking part in JAC activities,” TRS spokesman Jagadeeshwar Reddy said.
Of course, the JAC itself died a natural death after the Congress quietly walked out, followed by the BJP, and the Telugu Desam Party “expelled.”
“The state is indeed witnessing a semblance of order after a long gap,” local political analyst M Sivamuni pointed out.
That the political parties and students groups put the agitations on a “pause” mode contributed to an improved law and order situation and restored normalcy.
The Budget session of the state Legislature made the principal opposition Telugu Desam Party and its allies CPI and CPM focus their energies on issues confronting the people. Together they have been fighting the government on issues like price rise, power and drinking water crisis, corruption in NREGP works reservation for Muslims, etc. The BJP, which decided to “boycott” the Srikrishna Committee, has been busy with its organizational matters including election of a new state committee.
Amidst all this, there is hectic activity in the ruling Congress camp what with the long-overdue expansion and reshuffle of the state Cabinet expected to be taken up early April. Every legislator worth the name is virtually jumping over the other to display loyalty to Chief Minister K Rosaiah and remain in his good books as there is talk that he may drop half of his existing Council of Ministers and accommodate new ones.
The prevailing situation is expected to last at least for a few more months since the Srikrishna Committee is seriously into its job. The ensuing biennial elections to Rajya Sabha from the state, followed by polls to urban local bodies in September, will also keep the political parties engaged. Of course, by-elections to 12 Assembly seats in Telangana region -- vacated by 10 TRS legislators and one TDP and BJP MLA each -- should also be held before September.
The political parties will thus be fully “tied-up”, literally!
Saturday, 13 February 2010
The Srikrishna Committee and its Terms of Reference
Following are the Terms of Reference of the five-member Sri Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee constituted by the Government of India to examine the situation in Andhra Pradesh:
The Committee was appointed in the backdrop of the ongoing agitation for and against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
The Committee has been asked:
** To examine the situation in the State of Andhra Pradesh with reference to the demand for a separate State of Telangana as well as the demand for maintaining the present status of a united Andhra Pradesh.
** To review the developments in the State since its formation and their impact on the progress and development of the different regions of the State.
** To examine the impact of the recent developments in the State on the different sections of the people such as women, children, students, minorities, other backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
** To identify the key issues that must be addressed while considering the matters mentioned in items (1), (2) and (3) above.
** To consult all sections of the people, especially the political parties, on the aforesaid matters and elicit their views; to seek from the political parties and other organisations a range of solutions that would resolve the present difficult situation and promote the welfare of all sections of the people; to identify the optimal solutions for this purpose; and to recommend a plan of action and a road map.
** To consult other organisations of civil society such as industry, trade, trade unions, farmers’ organisations, women’s organisations and students’ organisations on the aforesaid matters and elicit their views with specific reference to the all round development of the different regions of the State.
** To make any other suggestion or recommendation that the Committee may deem appropriate.
The Committee has been asked to submit its report by December 31, 2010.
The terms of reference (TOR) set for the five-member Srikrishna Committee evoked mixed reactions with the Telangana protagonists strongly denouncing them as a “betrayal” of the people of the region.
The separatist Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao termed the TOR as “baseless, meaningless and mindless” while Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas welcomed them.
“It is a total betrayal of the people of Telangana. The TOR are totally immoral,” Chandrasekhar Rao lashed out.
Srinivas hoped the Committee would do justice to the state and urged all political parties to co-operate with it. Reacting to the TRS’ demand for resignation of legislators, the PCC chief said resignations would not solve any problem.
Telugu Desam Party leaders hailing from Telangana region have also said the TOR were a betrayal of the people of the region and suggested that the Centre was bent on pushing the separate statehood demand into the cold storage.
TDP politburo member Nagam Janardhana Reddy asserted that Telangana state could be achieved only by creating a constitutional crisis in the state.
The Praja Rajyam Party welcomed the TOR and appealed to all political parties to observe restraint till the Committee completed the consultation process.
“It’s a right step by the Centre in accordance with its commitment given at the all-party meeting on January 5,” PRP Political Affairs Committee member K Kalavenkata Rao said.
CPI state secretary K Narayana and BJP state president Bandaru Dattatreya have also said the TOR were “deceiving.”
“The statehood process will get delayed because of the Committee. Since it’s a political problem, the Centre should find a political solution,” Narayana said in Vijayawada.
“The TOR clearly indicate that the Committee was formed only to bury the Telangana statehood demand. The UPA government should step down as it failed to stick to its December 9 statement on the statehood issue,” BJP leader and former Union Minister of State for Home Ch Vidyasagar Rao said.
The Telangana Political Joint Action Committee too strongly denounced the terms of reference set for Srikrishna Committee. JAC convenor Kodandaram said the TOR have left them “totally disappointed.”
While the two TRS MPs, including K Chandrasekhar Rao, 10 MLAs and one MLC decided to resign from their posts in protest against the TOR, the TDP legislators from Telangana said they would act in accordance with the decision of the JAC.
“All the parties are in the JAC and none has withdrawn. We are all meeting to decide on the future course of action,” Kodandaram said after an interaction with TDP MLAs. He later held talks with some Congress MLAs from the region as well.
Chandrasekhar Rao and his fellow MP Vijayasanthi are expected to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar in New Delhi on February 16 and press for acceptance of their resignations which they had submitted earlier.
On the other hand, political leaders hailing from Andhra-Rayalaseema regions too have not welcomed the Srikrishna Committee TOR in toto.
“The TOR clearly indicated that the Centre was bent on dividing Andhra Pradesh. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s conspiracy in this regard is clearly visible in the TOR,” TDP MP M V Mysura Reddy said.
TDP politburo member K Yerrannaidu has felt the Centre should have also included the demands for other smaller states in the country in the Sri Krishna Committee’s TOR. “Andhra Pradesh should not become a laboratory for experiments related to creation of smaller states,” the former Union Minister said.
State Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy, who was on an official tour of Tirupati, welcomed the Committee TOR and hoped they would be in favour of a separate Telangana state.
The Lok Satta Party too welcomed the TOR and appealed to political parties to take an appropriate stand in the interests of the people. Since the Committee was only recommendatory in nature, there was no need for any apprehensions, Lok Satta Party spokesman K Srinivasa Rao felt.
The Committee was appointed in the backdrop of the ongoing agitation for and against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
The Committee has been asked:
** To examine the situation in the State of Andhra Pradesh with reference to the demand for a separate State of Telangana as well as the demand for maintaining the present status of a united Andhra Pradesh.
** To review the developments in the State since its formation and their impact on the progress and development of the different regions of the State.
** To examine the impact of the recent developments in the State on the different sections of the people such as women, children, students, minorities, other backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
** To identify the key issues that must be addressed while considering the matters mentioned in items (1), (2) and (3) above.
** To consult all sections of the people, especially the political parties, on the aforesaid matters and elicit their views; to seek from the political parties and other organisations a range of solutions that would resolve the present difficult situation and promote the welfare of all sections of the people; to identify the optimal solutions for this purpose; and to recommend a plan of action and a road map.
** To consult other organisations of civil society such as industry, trade, trade unions, farmers’ organisations, women’s organisations and students’ organisations on the aforesaid matters and elicit their views with specific reference to the all round development of the different regions of the State.
** To make any other suggestion or recommendation that the Committee may deem appropriate.
The Committee has been asked to submit its report by December 31, 2010.
The terms of reference (TOR) set for the five-member Srikrishna Committee evoked mixed reactions with the Telangana protagonists strongly denouncing them as a “betrayal” of the people of the region.
The separatist Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao termed the TOR as “baseless, meaningless and mindless” while Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas welcomed them.
“It is a total betrayal of the people of Telangana. The TOR are totally immoral,” Chandrasekhar Rao lashed out.
Srinivas hoped the Committee would do justice to the state and urged all political parties to co-operate with it. Reacting to the TRS’ demand for resignation of legislators, the PCC chief said resignations would not solve any problem.
Telugu Desam Party leaders hailing from Telangana region have also said the TOR were a betrayal of the people of the region and suggested that the Centre was bent on pushing the separate statehood demand into the cold storage.
TDP politburo member Nagam Janardhana Reddy asserted that Telangana state could be achieved only by creating a constitutional crisis in the state.
The Praja Rajyam Party welcomed the TOR and appealed to all political parties to observe restraint till the Committee completed the consultation process.
“It’s a right step by the Centre in accordance with its commitment given at the all-party meeting on January 5,” PRP Political Affairs Committee member K Kalavenkata Rao said.
CPI state secretary K Narayana and BJP state president Bandaru Dattatreya have also said the TOR were “deceiving.”
“The statehood process will get delayed because of the Committee. Since it’s a political problem, the Centre should find a political solution,” Narayana said in Vijayawada.
“The TOR clearly indicate that the Committee was formed only to bury the Telangana statehood demand. The UPA government should step down as it failed to stick to its December 9 statement on the statehood issue,” BJP leader and former Union Minister of State for Home Ch Vidyasagar Rao said.
The Telangana Political Joint Action Committee too strongly denounced the terms of reference set for Srikrishna Committee. JAC convenor Kodandaram said the TOR have left them “totally disappointed.”
While the two TRS MPs, including K Chandrasekhar Rao, 10 MLAs and one MLC decided to resign from their posts in protest against the TOR, the TDP legislators from Telangana said they would act in accordance with the decision of the JAC.
“All the parties are in the JAC and none has withdrawn. We are all meeting to decide on the future course of action,” Kodandaram said after an interaction with TDP MLAs. He later held talks with some Congress MLAs from the region as well.
Chandrasekhar Rao and his fellow MP Vijayasanthi are expected to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar in New Delhi on February 16 and press for acceptance of their resignations which they had submitted earlier.
On the other hand, political leaders hailing from Andhra-Rayalaseema regions too have not welcomed the Srikrishna Committee TOR in toto.
“The TOR clearly indicated that the Centre was bent on dividing Andhra Pradesh. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s conspiracy in this regard is clearly visible in the TOR,” TDP MP M V Mysura Reddy said.
TDP politburo member K Yerrannaidu has felt the Centre should have also included the demands for other smaller states in the country in the Sri Krishna Committee’s TOR. “Andhra Pradesh should not become a laboratory for experiments related to creation of smaller states,” the former Union Minister said.
State Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy, who was on an official tour of Tirupati, welcomed the Committee TOR and hoped they would be in favour of a separate Telangana state.
The Lok Satta Party too welcomed the TOR and appealed to political parties to take an appropriate stand in the interests of the people. Since the Committee was only recommendatory in nature, there was no need for any apprehensions, Lok Satta Party spokesman K Srinivasa Rao felt.
Bell-430 crash: A pure accident, say experts
Desaraju Surya
Hyderabad: Stormy weather was the only reason that resulted in the crash of the Bell-430 helicopter of the Andhra Pradesh government in which the then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and four others were killed in the dense Nallamala forest ranges on September 2, 2009, a two-member expert committee appointed by the state government to probe into the incident has established.
“There is evidence to show that the helicopter got into bad weather and it was coming down with great force because of the down draft (wind going down in great speed vertically). The pilots tried to lift the helicopter but in the process, unfortunately, it hit the tree,” the committee members H S Khola and M R Reddy said in a 110-page report submitted to Chief Minister K Rosaiah.
On the weather analysis, the experts said, the helicopter in the final stages was in a “severe down draft” where the rate of descent was very high. The pilot could not lift off and the chopper impacted with the ground because of this.
“Except that there is no evidence of anything,” Khola, a former Director General of Civil Aviation, and Reddy, a former director of Special Protection Group, said after submitting the report.
“From the evidence which is on record, there is no evidence except to say that the helicopter got into this weather that resulted in the crash,” they asserted when asked about the possible sabotage.
“When we look into the causes of the accident, naturally we have to look into sabotage as well. But the Central Bureau of Investigation is inquiring into it in great detail into all aspects of sabotage. Very soon I think they will also come out with a report,” Reddy, a retired IPS officer and expert in VIP security, said.
Replying to a question, Khola said an analysis of the twin engines of the Bell-430 chopper revealed that they were running at full RPM. “As such there was no failure of the engines,” he pointed out.
To another question, Reddy said transcripts obtained from the Air Traffic Controls at Chennai, Shamshabad and Begumpet, as well as the contents of the Cockpit Voice Recorder decoded in Canada, indicated that there was no talk between the Chief Minister or any other passenger with the helicopter crew. “There was no other talk, no other thing recorded. We looked into what is on record and we also know that the record is not tampered,” he observed.
Noting that the helicopter pilot Group Captain S K Bhatia was “very experienced,” Reddy said the former had followed all the correct procedures.
“He himself went to the Met office at Begumpet and took the detailed ‘Met Briefing’ prior to the flight. The weather report contained in detail the visibility, beam, temperature and wind speeds at different heights. It not only had current data but also the forecast for the next couple of hours (on that day),” Reddy pointed out.
“In fact, they had waited for an hour for the weather to clear. If the weather wasn’t clear, the ATC would not have allowed the chopper to take off. But en route if he (pilot) had encountered weather which was more severe than what the Met office said, that was the time he should have decided whether he should come back or go forward. We can’t say it’s an error of judgment on part of the pilot,” Reddy noted.
Capt Gurmeet Singh, a former instructor-pilot with the Indian Army and known for his expertise in weather, also assisted the expert committee as a “co-opted member.”
Hyderabad: Stormy weather was the only reason that resulted in the crash of the Bell-430 helicopter of the Andhra Pradesh government in which the then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and four others were killed in the dense Nallamala forest ranges on September 2, 2009, a two-member expert committee appointed by the state government to probe into the incident has established.
“There is evidence to show that the helicopter got into bad weather and it was coming down with great force because of the down draft (wind going down in great speed vertically). The pilots tried to lift the helicopter but in the process, unfortunately, it hit the tree,” the committee members H S Khola and M R Reddy said in a 110-page report submitted to Chief Minister K Rosaiah.
On the weather analysis, the experts said, the helicopter in the final stages was in a “severe down draft” where the rate of descent was very high. The pilot could not lift off and the chopper impacted with the ground because of this.
“Except that there is no evidence of anything,” Khola, a former Director General of Civil Aviation, and Reddy, a former director of Special Protection Group, said after submitting the report.
“From the evidence which is on record, there is no evidence except to say that the helicopter got into this weather that resulted in the crash,” they asserted when asked about the possible sabotage.
“When we look into the causes of the accident, naturally we have to look into sabotage as well. But the Central Bureau of Investigation is inquiring into it in great detail into all aspects of sabotage. Very soon I think they will also come out with a report,” Reddy, a retired IPS officer and expert in VIP security, said.
Replying to a question, Khola said an analysis of the twin engines of the Bell-430 chopper revealed that they were running at full RPM. “As such there was no failure of the engines,” he pointed out.
To another question, Reddy said transcripts obtained from the Air Traffic Controls at Chennai, Shamshabad and Begumpet, as well as the contents of the Cockpit Voice Recorder decoded in Canada, indicated that there was no talk between the Chief Minister or any other passenger with the helicopter crew. “There was no other talk, no other thing recorded. We looked into what is on record and we also know that the record is not tampered,” he observed.
Noting that the helicopter pilot Group Captain S K Bhatia was “very experienced,” Reddy said the former had followed all the correct procedures.
“He himself went to the Met office at Begumpet and took the detailed ‘Met Briefing’ prior to the flight. The weather report contained in detail the visibility, beam, temperature and wind speeds at different heights. It not only had current data but also the forecast for the next couple of hours (on that day),” Reddy pointed out.
“In fact, they had waited for an hour for the weather to clear. If the weather wasn’t clear, the ATC would not have allowed the chopper to take off. But en route if he (pilot) had encountered weather which was more severe than what the Met office said, that was the time he should have decided whether he should come back or go forward. We can’t say it’s an error of judgment on part of the pilot,” Reddy noted.
Capt Gurmeet Singh, a former instructor-pilot with the Indian Army and known for his expertise in weather, also assisted the expert committee as a “co-opted member.”
Monday, 11 January 2010
Truce will not do, says Rosaiah on Telangana
Desaraju Surya
Hyderabad: Maintaining that a “temporary truce” was just not sufficient, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Konijeti Rosaiah has reiterated that it was the responsibility of the Government of India to find an “ever-lasting solution” to the current political turmoil in the state over the bifurcation issue.
In an exclusive chat, Rosaiah appealed to the national political parties to “think about it (the current turmoil) and do something” to help the state continue with the development process.
“An agitation had built up (over the demand for and against bifurcation of the state) and some destruction had also happened. Now, a temporary truce will not help…. the situation may resurface. Even if it requires time, they (Government of India) will have to give us an ever-lasting solution,” the Chief Minister said.
Asked what could be the logical solution to the current imbroglio, Rosaiah said: “It is not in our hands. This is an issue which has to be examined from different angles by the Government of India. Sitting here, there is no chance for us to say yes or no. If it is an issue that could be decided by me or someone else here, we can do it according to our thoughts. But this is an issue that is to be looked into by the Centre and they will have to give us an ever-lasting solution.”
The Chief Minister appealed to all political parties, including Congress, to leave the issue to the Centre. “Not just as the Chief Minister but more particularly as a citizen of Andhra Pradesh, my earnest appeal to all political parties is to please leave the issue to be sorted out at Delhi. Willingly or unwillingly, let us not become tools for hampering the development of the state,” he said.
Asked how was he reading the signals emanating from New Delhi that Telangana state could be a reality in the next 12 to 18 months, Rosaiah remarked in his usual witty style: “One, I have not understood any signals. Two, I am not opposed to anything that the Government of India finally does. I will abide faithfully and try to co-operate with the Government of India. My main concern is about the state and its development. Whatever the Centre does should contribute to it (development). Any decision they take will be acceptable to me.”
Like his predecessor Y S Rajasekhara Reddy does he too have any personal view on the bifurcation issue? “I have no personal opinion. As long as I am holding the post of Chief Minister in the state, I do not have any personal views. My personal view is not at all an issue in this matter.”
Questioned about the prevailing “hostile” atmosphere between people of Telangana and non-Telangana regions and the growing acrimony between them, the Chief Minister observed: “Whatever judgment the Centre gives on the issue any day, we all should abide by it. This is my appeal and approach also. In the meantime, difference of opinion among the people of different regions of the state is not desirable. We all should narrow down our differences and work as one. If the differences persist, it will lead to situations where public life is paralyzed and also unwittingly lead to destruction. Above all, it will hamper progress (of the state).”
On the demand for conducting a referendum on the state bifurcation issue, the Chief Minister maintained that it was not in the state government’s purview.
Hyderabad: Maintaining that a “temporary truce” was just not sufficient, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Konijeti Rosaiah has reiterated that it was the responsibility of the Government of India to find an “ever-lasting solution” to the current political turmoil in the state over the bifurcation issue.
In an exclusive chat, Rosaiah appealed to the national political parties to “think about it (the current turmoil) and do something” to help the state continue with the development process.
“An agitation had built up (over the demand for and against bifurcation of the state) and some destruction had also happened. Now, a temporary truce will not help…. the situation may resurface. Even if it requires time, they (Government of India) will have to give us an ever-lasting solution,” the Chief Minister said.
Asked what could be the logical solution to the current imbroglio, Rosaiah said: “It is not in our hands. This is an issue which has to be examined from different angles by the Government of India. Sitting here, there is no chance for us to say yes or no. If it is an issue that could be decided by me or someone else here, we can do it according to our thoughts. But this is an issue that is to be looked into by the Centre and they will have to give us an ever-lasting solution.”
The Chief Minister appealed to all political parties, including Congress, to leave the issue to the Centre. “Not just as the Chief Minister but more particularly as a citizen of Andhra Pradesh, my earnest appeal to all political parties is to please leave the issue to be sorted out at Delhi. Willingly or unwillingly, let us not become tools for hampering the development of the state,” he said.
Asked how was he reading the signals emanating from New Delhi that Telangana state could be a reality in the next 12 to 18 months, Rosaiah remarked in his usual witty style: “One, I have not understood any signals. Two, I am not opposed to anything that the Government of India finally does. I will abide faithfully and try to co-operate with the Government of India. My main concern is about the state and its development. Whatever the Centre does should contribute to it (development). Any decision they take will be acceptable to me.”
Like his predecessor Y S Rajasekhara Reddy does he too have any personal view on the bifurcation issue? “I have no personal opinion. As long as I am holding the post of Chief Minister in the state, I do not have any personal views. My personal view is not at all an issue in this matter.”
Questioned about the prevailing “hostile” atmosphere between people of Telangana and non-Telangana regions and the growing acrimony between them, the Chief Minister observed: “Whatever judgment the Centre gives on the issue any day, we all should abide by it. This is my appeal and approach also. In the meantime, difference of opinion among the people of different regions of the state is not desirable. We all should narrow down our differences and work as one. If the differences persist, it will lead to situations where public life is paralyzed and also unwittingly lead to destruction. Above all, it will hamper progress (of the state).”
On the demand for conducting a referendum on the state bifurcation issue, the Chief Minister maintained that it was not in the state government’s purview.
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