The Centre today removed the free zone status to Hyderabad, the contentious issue that triggered the revival of pro-Telangana agitation in 2009. With this, the city of Hyderabad becomes part of the sixth zone that includes neighbouring districts of Telangana, for the purpose of recruitment in city police.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued orders omitting the contentious sub-para ‘f’ of the Andhra Pradesh Public Employment (Organisation of Local Cadres and Regulation of Direct Recruitment) Order, 1975, popularly known as Presidential Orders.
Under the present six-point formula that regulates all the government recruitments in Andhra Pradesh, 70 per cent of the posts are reserved for locals leaving the remaining 30 per cent is under the open category where persons irrespective of their domicile status can compete in recruitment process.
While the political parties and employee organisations have been agitating for separate Telangana, the issue of ‘14-f’ of the presidential orders had resurfaced with the government announcing written examinations for recruitment for sub-inspector posts, scheduled on August 13 and 14, 2011.
As the issue immediately concerns the unemployed graduates and university students, the state government pressed for its deletion even though the Home Minister earlier asked the government to get the Assembly nod for the proposal once again.However, students in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions have opposed the government's decision.
Meanwhile, the political JAC of the Telangana region termed the Centre’s move as a first victory.
In a tactical move, the JAC announced that the state government employees, including teachers, would take part in their proposed general strike in a later phase starting September 6, instead of August third week.
