Date:31/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/31/stories/2006123104400600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Telangana: regional panel for early decision

Special Correspondent

Telangana Regional Congress Coordination Committee's plea

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Regional Congress Coordination Committee (TRCCC) urged the Congress high command on Saturday to take early follow-up steps for "upholding" its resolution on Telangana as reiterated in the party's 2004 election manifesto.

Carefully avoiding any reference to the issue of constituting a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) as assured in the Congress party's election manifesto, the TRCCC, which met here, adopted a resolution to this effect. The wording of the resolution is significant as barely two weeks ago over 40 Congress MLAs of Telangana submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding a second SRC. It said the issue "brooks no delay" in light of the Karimnagar Lok Sabha by-election results.

Asked by reporters after the three-hour meeting as to why no reference was made to the SRC, APCC president K. Keshava Rao said the resolution was aimed at infusing a sense of urgency into the Telangana issue. It was up to the party high command to decide whether to give separate statehood directly or constitute a committee or a commission.

The TRCCC, however, expressed satisfaction over the steps initiated by the Government for the development of Telangana, including increased budgetary allocations to irrigation and power sectors.

In this direction, the meeting urged the Government to harness the full potential of the Godavari by taking up all possible projects and barrages, particularly Inchampally, for power generation as well as irrigation.