Telangana: Expert panel to determine capital of residual Andhra Pradesh

The Centre today said an expert committee will be set up to determine the new capital of residual Andhra Pradesh.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh the expert panel will be constituted and within 45 days of the Telangana Bill being enacted by the Parliament, it will recommend the new capital.

The government is committed to financing the building of the new capital -- Rajbhavan, Secretariat, High Court and all other such facilities, the minister told media here two days after the Union Cabinet gave the go-ahead for the creation of a 10-district Telangana.

The bill, cleared by the Cabinet, will be sent to the President with a request to make a reference to Andhra Pradesh assembly to obtain its views.

According to the decision, Hyderabad will remain the common capital for both the states for a period not exceeding 10 years.

On the issue of water-sharing, which has been subjected to heated debates in both the regions of Andhra Pradesh, Ramesh said the Centre would create a two-tier institutional mechanism--political and administrative-- to address it.

"On water, we are suggesting a two-tier mechanism-- an apex council comprising of chief ministers in order to discuss issues relating to planning of water resources and two boards--a Krishna River Board and Godavari River Board-- to do the day-to-day management regulation and administration to ensure that the award to the tribunal will get implemented," he said.

He said Krishna board will be located in residual Andhra Pradesh and Godavari board will be located in Telangana.

"And for the first time in the bill we have put the principles on which the boards will function so that water does not emerge as a source of conflict," the minister said.

He said that Polavaram will be declared as a national project and will be executed by the Union government following all environmental and R&R norms.