The Centre Thursday took the first significant step towards creation of
Telangana from southern Indian state Andhra Pradesh and decided that
Hyderabad will be the joint capital of the two states for 10 years.Over two months after the Congress Working Committee put its seal of approval, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Home Ministry for creation of the 29th state and decided to set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to work out modalities.
"The Cabinet has given its approval for the creation of a new state of Telangana," Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters after the meeting that lasted more than two hours.
He said it was decided that Hyderabad will be the common capital of the two bifucated states for 10 years.
After the creation of the new state, the security and guarantees including fundamental rights of the people of coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana will be ensured, he said.
The Cabinet approved a GoM that will go into the issue of a special financial disbursement that may be required from the central government for the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, for building its capital and to cater to special needs of backward regions.
The new state will have a geographical area of 10 of the 23 districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh.
Thursday's decision brings to fruition the announcement made by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram on December 9, 2009 for creation of Telangana.
Joy & anger in Andhra Pradesh over Centre's nod for Telangana
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhar Rao and other statehood supporters hailed the Union Cabinet's approval of separate Telangana while Seemandhra leaders and people expressed anguish and anger over the decision.
The pro-united Andhra employees of the state government, who are in the forefront of the agitation against division of southern India state Andhra Pradesh, called a 48-hour shutdown in Seemandhra (coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions) from 6 AM tomorrow.
The TRS President hailed the decision but asked Telangana supporters to be "alert till the Bill for formation of the separate state is passed in both houses of Parliament".
Welcoming the decision, Andhra Pradesh Information Minister D K Aruna, who hails from Telangana, thanked ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi for formation of the separate state comprising ten districts.
Several other Congress leaders from the region expressed happiness over the Cabinet's decision which comes over two months after the Congress Working Committee gave its nod to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
Telangana supporters set off crackers and celebrated the occasion at the TRS office here and elsewhere in Hyderabad, which was the epicentre of the long-drawn statehood stir.
On the other hand, the pro-united Andhra employees of the state government, who are in the forefront of the agitation against division of AP, called a 48-hour shutdown in Seemandhra (coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions) from 6 AM tomorrow.
Centre asks Andhra government to remain on high alert
The Home Ministry Thursday asked the government of southern Indian Andhra Pradesh to remain on high alert in view of the Union Cabinet's approval to create Telangana and deploy adequate forces, especially in Seemandhra region, to maintain peace.
Apprehending protests, particularly from those opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has already sent around 2,500 paramilitary personnel to assist the local police to deal with the law and order situation there.
Police barricade 7 RCR against the anti-Telangana activists.
The Home Ministry told the state government to remain on high alert and deploy forces in all sensitive locations in Hyderabad, coastal and Rayalaseema regions to deal with any situation arising out of the Cabinet's decision, official sources said.
People in the Seemandhra region have been protesting for the past two months against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and the agitation is expected to be intensified in the coming days following today's decision.
The Cabinet took the first significant step towards creation of a separate Telangana state and decided that Hyderabad will be the joint capital of the two states for 10 years.
Over two months after the Congress Working Committee put its seal of approval, the Cabinet approved the Home Ministry's proposal for creation of the 29th state and decided to set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to work out modalities.