Guv orders reallocation of AP govt buildings to T'gana

Guv orders reallocation of AP govt buildings to T'gana
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Hyderabad: Amid the new-found bonhomie between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Governor E S L Narasimhan has ordered re-allocation of all government buildings here that were earmarked for Andhra at the time of its bifurcation in 2014, to the former.

Since the AP government was functioning from its capital Amaravati, the official buildings allocated to it were lying vacant, an official release said on Sunday.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor Narasimhan issued orders reallocating the buildings to the newly carved out state in accordance with the provisions of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 following the consent given by the chief ministers of the two neighbouring states, it said.

At the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, government buildings in Hyderabad were allocated equally to the two state governments.

However, the AP government was paying electricity bills and other maintenance costs of the buildings though it was not utilising them.

The order was issued as per Section 8 of the APRA, 2014, after the two chief ministers - Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and K Chandrasekhar Rao - consented to the re-allocation of the buildings.

Hyderabad remains the common capital of AP and Telangana till June 1, 2024 as per the APRA, 2014.

The release said most of the buildings were in a "dilapidated condition" since they were not utilised.

Two buildings, one for the police and another for other department offices would be earmarked in Hyderabad for use by the AP government, it added.

Welcoming the Governor's orders, Telangana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao termed it as an "auspicious sign".

"It is a welcome and auspicious sign that both the state governments have decided to move forward with mutual good will and fraternity with people's welfare in mind and development of both the states as the main aim," he said.

Since the buildings were not utilised they were in a dilapidated state.

Against this backdrop, the Telangana Cabinet on Sunday urged the Governor to re-allocate the office buildings given to the AP government.

Rao said his aim, ambition and effort would be to see to it that both Telangana and Andhra develop with its people living in peace and prosperity and all the issues between the two states are amicably solved.

For over three years now, the Telangana government had been requesting that the buildings be handed back to it since the AP government was not using them.

The previous N Chandrababu Naidu government, however, had remained adamant that they had a "right" over the buildings for ten years (till 2024).

The move by the Governor could hence herald a new era in ties between Telangana and Andhra.