HYDERABAD: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are heading for a battle of sorts claiming ownership over institutions and buildings after Hyderabad ceased to be the common capital.
Days after June 2 when Telangana was gearing up to take over buildings that were in possession of AP, the neighbouring state is now demanding its share in 12 institutions and buildings that were neither listed in Schedule IX nor Schedule X of the AP Re-Organisation Act. Vaidya Vidhana Parishad building in Koti is one such structure which AP claims is its property.
Telangana hit back strongly, saying AP has no claim over these properties. Insiders said all these properties are worth thousands of crores and both states would not want to relinquish the ownership claim.
Chief minister A Revanth Reddy, who held a meeting recently, asked the officials to come up with a list of assets that need to be taken over from AP after Greater Hyderabad became the capital of Telangana officially on June 2. A letter on the assets’ list is likely to be sent to the neighbouring state after getting approval from the CM, sources said.
Official sources said AP was eyeing a share in 32 institutions and other assets in Greater Hyderabad initially, but the list was pruned to 12 as many of the institutions are now either defunct or closed. The 12 institutions include Octopus building and land at Gandipet, HACA Bhavan, pharmacy council and estate office buildings in Khairatabad, horticulture building at Red Hills, among others.
AP’s claim on unlisted assets sparks new round of tussle
Days after Hyderabad ceased to be the common capital, Andhra Pradesh has staked claimed to share in 12 institutions and buildings that were not listed in Schedule IX and Schedule X of the AP Re-Organisation Act, prompting a stern reaction from Telangana. There are some buildings like directorate of economics and statistics, that are technically under the control of AP.
Telangana govt, which began looking at various assets that have been in possession of AP govt, came to know during the audit of assets that as many as 56 major buildings and another 590 staff quarters, including IAS officers buildings in Greater Hyderabad, are in possession of AP. IAS officers, who have been allotted to AP, have been staying in 34 quarters in Begumpet’s Kundanbagh, 21 in Banjara Hills IAS and IPS quarters and four in Panjagutta quarters, sources said.
AP chief secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad also held a meeting with officials on the state’s assets in Hyderabad a couple of days ago.
To begin with, AP has reportedly decided to seek Lake View guest house, CID building in Masab Tank and Hermitage building in Adarshnagar from Telangana.
Telangana officials said Schedule IX and X assets need to be bifurcated and the term of committee on Schedule IX institutions led by Sheela Bhide ended a few years ago. There are court cases pending on some institutions under both Schedule IX and X. “Our stand is that Schedule IX institutions, assets and liabilities like various corporations can be bifurcated, while Schedule X institutions like MCRHRD and training institutions should go to Telangana,” a senior official said.
