Drafting of AP Reorganisation Act lacked transparency: White paper by AP govt

The Andhra Pradesh government Sunday released a white paper alleging that the drafting process of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 lacked transparency and had been carried out in a cloak-and-dagger mode.

The bifurcation of the undivided state was "unscientific" and it resulted in AP losing the economic powerhouse and capital - Hyderabad, thus losing a large-scale industrial base, the white paper read.

"Lack of adequate and serious consultations with key stakeholders, absence of consensus amongst key political parties, lack of transparency and cloak and dagger mode of drafting the Bill characterised the process of enactment.

"Despite series of agitations from people, scant regard was shown to their feelings/aspirations. Lack of transparency surrounding the reorganisation process and the frenetic pace with which the process was carried out by the then UPA-led central government had caused serious disenchantment amongst people of Andhra Pradesh," it read.

 

It said that in the bifurcation, the state received only 46 per cent of the estimated revenues of the combined state while accounting for 58 pre cent of its population.

Assets were allocated on location basis whereas debt liabilities were distributed on population basis, it said.

"Refund of taxes is to be shared between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on population basis (58.32 : 41.68) whereas deferred tax collections have been allocated on location basis. This has caused a loss of about Rs 3,800 crore. It also has no capital city for the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh," it read.

The white paper listed the promises made by the central government which were yet to fulfilled.

These include the establishment of greyhounds training centre, increase of seats in the AP Legislative Assembly, development grant for seven backward districts covering Rayalaseema and north coastal region, Polavaram irrigation project, tax incentives, central support for creation of new capital city, creation of educational institutions etc.

The paper said that the state government would continue to put pressure on the Centre till all provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 and the assurances of the prime minister are achieved.