http://timesofindia
Telangana assets will be divided amicably, say activists
Subodh Ghildiyal, TNN 11 December 2009, 03:26am
NEW DELHI: Assets distribution between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is
likely to be a friendly affair as the brains behind the statehood
movement say they don't want anything more than the parameters laid
out for new states.
Telangana proponents feel that despite not asking for anything over
the entitlement of new states, the region would be much better off
than it is as part of integrated Andhra Pradesh. The main grudge is
that the state funnels back fewer resources than it should.
Dr Jayashankar, a key brain behind the campaign under TRS, said, "We
don't want a drop of
water extra than what is entitled to us and we don't want a wattage of
power than what is our rightful share. It would be decided by
tribunals as is the norm for states. After all, we are nodding to the
process adopted by 14 new states which were formed before Telangana."
Water, power, coal, jobs, central funds for backward development are
some of the fronts on which it is expected to gain.
Godavari and Krishna, two big sources of water, flow through Telangana
which remains a parched pocket. At the same time, coal is abundant in
the region while its share in power is much less.
According to figures collated by Telangana activists, Bachawat award
entitled 811 TMC of Krishna water to AP, of which Telangana gets less
than 100 TMC. But as a new state, its share would be governed by
catchment area (69%), cultivable area in river basin (71%),
geographical area and population (42%). The groundwater level of
catchment area is lower in Telangana and rainfall is scant while
regional backwardness is high. As per calculations, the water share of
the new state would shoot up.
Telangana is said to be getting less than 20% water from Godavari
while it has 70% catchment area. "Any of the laid out parameters would
get Telangana at least 40% water," said a leader.
What has led to strong resentment among locals is the fact that
Telangana contributes around 50% to state exchequer but less than 20%
is spent back on the region. Its backwardness attracts central funds
to Andhra Pradesh which are not funnelled to its development but used
in coastal and Rayalaseema regions.
Telangana sits on the entire coal stock of AP but the power situation
here remains grim.
The employment situation is as lop-sided. Sources said while there are
around 11 lakh jobs in government and aided institutions, the share of
the backward region is only 2.5 lakh while it should be six lakh as
per GO-610. The GO has not been implemented after 20 years.
Here, an interesting change may happen. The Mala-Madiga tussle for
Dalit quota benefits has led to demands for sub-categorisation, with
Madigas saying Malas have cornered disproportionate share of SC
reservation. However, since Madigas are more in Telangana, the new
state is expected to see their share in jobs go up.
With Telangana appearing more real than ever, those at the vanguard of
the statehood movement feel the shift of governance to locals would
change the situation. The biggest reason for the lop-sided
distribution of resources is the fact that only three chief ministers
from the region have ruled AP in last 53 years, and their total tenure
was six years.
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