Telangana, a cut above Seemaandhra

The struggle for separate Telangana, revived by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, a decade ago, is yet to reach its logical conclusion but definitely helped substantial flow of funds which in turn developed the region.

The state economic survey 2009-2010, presented to the Assembly by the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, along with the budget on Saturday, revealed that the two key factors of development — gross district domestic product (GDDP) and per capita income — in several T districts are higher than their counter parts in Andhra and Rayalaseema.

The pace of growth in the last few years in Telangana districts is also quick while backward districts like Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Prakasam and Anantapur continue to grow at normal pace due to lack of focus. Interestingly, there is negative growth in East and West Godavari districts, which are considered to be the rice bowl of the state.

The survey reveals that as many as six districts in Andhra and Rayalaseema put together and four in Telangana achieved more than the average GDDP of Rs 14,000 crore. In case of average per capita income of Rs 16,800 also, the number of districts registering excess in both regions is same.

“The successive Chief Ministers perhaps for political compulsions have been projecting that Telangana continues to be a backward region and that they are developing it with great attention,” pointed out a state government adviser.

Maintaining that there was injustice with regard to employment in Telangana, the adviser said concentration of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and channelising industrial investments of both manufacturing and IT in the capital city helped development of industrial clusters in the neighbouring districts.

The economic survey indicated that the per capita income in Medak was Rs 42,052 and in Ranga Reddy was Rs 43,400, which is higher than all the districts in Andhra and Rayalaseema, except Visakhapatnam and Kadapa.

What makes more interesting is that the per capita income in Mahbubnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad and Nalgonda, which are considered to be backward in Telangana, registered a growth of 77 per cent, 61 per cent, 59 per cent and 72 per cent respectively over four years. This was against 29 per cent of East Godavari, 31 per cent of West Godavari, 49 per cent of Krishna and 33 per cent in Guntur. These four coastal districts are considered to be well developed in the state other than Hyderabad.

But, the growth in per capita income in four backward districts of Prakasam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Anantapur did not cross 40 per cent and the volume of GDDP grew below 50 per cent in these districts.

On the other hand, the volume of GDDP grew by 80 per cent in Mahbubnagar, 65 per cent in Nizamabad, 66 per cent in Adilabad and 77 per cent in Nalgonda against 33 per cent in East Godavari, 34 per cent in West Godavari, 55 per cent in Krishna and 37 per cent in Guntur.

“We have been arguing that Telangana protagonists should no more claim separation because they are backward,” said whip Dr Sailajanath, who hails from Rayalaseema. He argued that the government had been spending nearly half of funds allocated for irrigation to 10 Telangana districts and rest among 13 others in the state. For instance, Telangana projects will get Rs 7,000 cr out of the budgetary allocation of Rs 15,000 cr. But, the survey also exposed the neglect of Telangana over a period of time which was reflected in the low literacy levels. The economic survey says according to last census Telangana districts except Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy failed to achieve the state average literacy rate of 60.47. There are seven out of 13 districts in Rayalaseema and Andhra which crossed the state average.

“Even the irrigation facilities are grossly neglected. The Girglani commission and subsequently the House committee on 610 GO exposed the discrepancies in implementing the reservation for locals rule in government employment,” says senior TRS leader Mr T. Harish Rao.

According to the T protagonists, the increase in the area cultivated under borewells in Telangana indeed is a sign of neglecting assured water facility through irrigation projects in the region. In the rise of number of educational institutions in the region also Mr Harish Rao sees big corporates from Andhra swallowing the local educationists, though Majlis leader Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi recently thanked these managements on the floor of the House for imparting quality education to thousands of Muslims in Telangana, particularly in Old City.

Committee on Telangana a farce: Venkaiah

Describing as “farce” the Justice Srikrishna Committee set up by the Centre to resolve the Telangana issue, senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said that it does not serve any purpose and was a waste of public money.

“The Committee has no any statutory sanctity. It is a farce and is a sheer waste of time and resources, and a futile exercise,” Mr. Naidu told reporters here.

Questioning the Congress, which returned to power in the state in 2004, on its Telangana promise, Mr. Naidu asked, “What happened to the earlier committee -- headed by Pranab Mukherjee --Constituted to look into the demand for Telangana state?.”

“Committees can’t decide the future of the state and there should be a political solution to this burning issue,” he said.

When asked whether BJP would extend support to the Committee, scheduled to visit next month to hold consultations with various parties and organisations on the issue, the senior leader shot back saying “what purpose would it serve?”

Mr. Naidu said his party’s stand is very clear and it is in favour of separate statehood for Telangana region and wanted to know whether the Centre will actually implement the recommendations of the Committee.

The UPA Government has constituted a five-member Committee led by Justice B. N. Srikrishna to examine demand for a separate state of Telangana and as well as the demand to keep Andhra Pradesh united.

14 MLAs from Telangana resign

Fourteen MLAs from the Telangana region handed over their resignation letters to Speaker N. Kiran Kumar Reddy here on Sunday on a call by the all-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) to protest against the terms of reference of the Srikrishna committee.

All 10 MLAs of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, two of the Congress and one each of the BJP and the Praja Rajyam Party handed over their letters. Two other Congress MLAs who on Saturday announced their decision to quit backed out, but the former Minister, R. Damodar Reddy, said they would follow suit very soon.

In prescribed format

After submitting his resignation, Mr. Reddy told journalists that this time the MLAs took care that the letters were in the prescribed format.

Last time, the Speaker rejected the letters on the ground that they were not in the prescribed format. All the MLAs insisted with the Speaker that he accept their resignation when he sought their views individually, Mr. Reddy said.

A TDP member C. Ramesh, whose resignation was pending, also met the Speaker to press his case.

JAC call to ‘boycott’ goods, services

The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Sunday gave a call for ‘boycott’ of goods and services of the ‘propertied class’ which is opposed to the creation of separate Telangana. The JAC set a deadline for all elected representatives from village-level ward members to MPs to resign by Monday evening, failing which a programme to beat drums while putting them on alert would be taken up in villages the next day.

The JAC which announced the decisions after a meeting of its district units here, also resolved to give representations to MLAs and other elected representatives to resign between February 17 and 20.

20 injured in violence on Osmania University campus

Violence over the Telangana issue rocked Osmania University Sunday night and 20 students were injured when police fired rubber bullets and used batons to disperse them.

Six mediapersons also sustained injuries and their cameras and other equipments were damaged in the police action on the campus, eye-witnesses said.

The trouble began when students took out a rally hailing the resignations of 15 legislators and demanding that others quit too. As the protestors tried to march towards Tarnaka area, police and paramilitary forces stopped them, leading to heated arguments.

A police officer claimed that students started pelting stones, forcing them to baton-charge. Eye-witnessed said police personnel beat up several students and mediapersons, who sustained bleeding injuries.

Tension gripped the sprawling campus, the nerve centre of ongoing agitation over the demand for statehood to Telangana as police action evoked widespread condemnation by students organisations and pro-Telangana parties.

The All-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) has condemned the police action on the campus.

The university has been witnessing clashes between students and police since the agitation began in November last year.

Explosive situation at Osmania University

An explosive situation prevailed in Osmania University here Sunday night as violence over Telangana issue, police firing and arson rocked the campus.

Police and paramilitary forces laid siege to the campus as the tension spread to neighbouring residential neighbourhood with residents coming out in support of students.

The sprawling campus plunged into darkness as police cut off electricity and stopped even ambulances from entering the university, eye witnesses said.

Leaders of university students Joint Action Committee (JAC) alleged that police entered hostels and beat up students. The JAC leaders threaten mass suicides if the police and paramilitary forces do not vacate the campus.

Students set afire police tents on the campus and raised slogans of 'police go back'.

Police fired several rounds of rubber bullets and teargas shells at the Arts College. It also baton charged students and beat up journalists covering the students' protests.

Six media persons also sustained injuries and their cameras and other equipment were damaged in the police action on the campus, eye-witnesses said.

A large number of students including girls were still sitting on the campus protesting the police 'brutality'. A JAC leader and a journalist sustained serious injuries in police baton charge.

Media persons alleged that it was well-planned attack on them as the policemen abused them for covering the student protests and did not even spare their vehicles.

The trouble began when students took out a rally hailing the resignations of 15 legislators and demanding others to quit. As the protestors tried to march towards Tarnaka area, police and paramilitary forces stopped them, leading to heated arguments.

A police officer claimed that students started pelting stones forcing them to baton-charge.

Tension gripped the sprawling campus, the nerve centre of ongoing agitation over the demand for statehood to Telangana as police action evoked widespread condemnation by student bodies and pro-Telangana parties.

All-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) has condemned the police action on the campus. Police arrested JAC convenor M. Kodandaram when he wanted to enter the campus to meet students.

The university has been witnessing clashes between students and police since the agitation began in November last year.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao appealed to government to withdraw the police forces immediately from the campus.

Students and journalists in several Telangana districts came out on streets condemning police action in Osmania University. They took out rallies and blocked traffic.

Tension prevailed at Kakatiya University campus in Warangal town as police mobilised additional forces to tackle student protests.