T-panel to go by YSR order

The terms of reference that will bind the Central committee to study state bifurcation is expected to be similar to the one that Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had drawn up for a panel he had constituted in March last year.

Sources in Delhi say the Union home ministry, which is drawing up the terms of reference, has sought details of the Government Order 99 issued by YSR on March 4, 2009.

Sources indicate that the ministry, which examined the nine points, has come to the conclusion that issues like sharing of river waters, status of Hyderabad, minorities and migrants, stand on Maoist menace, and a strategy for the overall development of all regions, must be included in the terms of reference of any negotiations on the formation of a separate state.

YSR had set up the ‘Joint committee of both Houses of the state Legislature to deliberate on the formation of Telangana state’ under the then finance minister, Mr K. Rosaiah. That committee did not meet even once and was overtaken by subsequent political events.

Meanwhile, it appears that the announcement of the mechanism on Telangana could get delayed. While the Union law minister and AICC incharge for AP, Mr M. Veerappa Moily, on Sunday said, “The terms of reference are under preparation and not yet finalised,” the home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, is expected to throw more light on Monday.

Mr Moily also asked partymen to “withdraw” from the Joint Action Committee agitating for T-statehood. He warned that “any violation of the party discipline will be seriously dealt with.” He asked party leaders not to rush to the media on the “sensitive” issue.