AP's bifurcation will be completed before June 2: Jairam Ramesh

Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday expressed confidence that the process of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh would be completed by June 2, the Designated Day.

Speaking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan here, Jairam Ramesh informed that about 26 lakh files have been catalogued/digitised. Of 1.40 lakh agreements, worth Rs 1.88 lakh crore have been divided with residuary Andhra Pradesh getting Rs 97,000 crore worth 75,000 agreements. As many as 119 PSUs too are being divided into two States. He said all the 21 committees involved in the bifurcation process would submit their reports by April 30.

Post bifurcation, Andhra Pradesh will have about 3.24 lakh pensioners while Telangana will have 2.40 lakh pensioners. While Andhra Pradesh will spend about Rs 700 crore on pensions, Telangana will be spending about Rs 500 crore. The employees have been divided into three categories of local, State and districts. The bifurcation process will affect the State employees while local and district employees would remain undisturbed. He said the views of employees' unions have been incorporated in dividing the employees among two States. The Governor has already written to the Supreme Court requesting appointment of separate judges for both the States.

Jairam Ramesh said that the backward areas of both the States might be given a tax holiday although the benefit would extend to the entire state of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation. He said no political process was involved in the bifurcation and therefore, the ensuing elections would have no impact on it. Stating that the division of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh took almost year, he said the process of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was being completed in a record time.