Srikrishna committee to tour Andhra areas

The Srikrishna Committee, looking into the issue of the bifurcation of the state, will tour the Andhra region too in the second week of June to elicit the views of the people.

Members of the committee have already visited the Telangana and Rayalaseema regions. Organisations belonging to the Andhra region are keen that the committee sees for itself the pathetic condition of people in many areas.

Committee member secretary V. K. Duggal said the views of all the regions will be reflected in the report the committee submits to the Union government on the political conditions prevailing in AP.

“We hope that ours is the last committee on the bifurcation issue. It is the wish of many people and the same was conveyed to us during the discussions,” he said while addressing a media conference.

Mr Duggal said the committee will give leaders of dalits and backward classes an opportunity to voice their opinion on the political conditions in the state. The Srikrishna Committee will also seek the opinion of eminent persons, retired bureaucrats and experts in various fields in the first week of June 2010.

Representatives of the Telangana Udyogula Sangham, the Telangana Federation of University Teachers, and the Rayalaseema Rasthra Samiti have met the committee and explained their stand. The Telangana Udyogula Sangham argued that Rs 50,000 crore has been paid to Andhra employees who were posted in the Telangana region in the past 50 years. It requested the committee to give a report in favour of bifurcation of the state.