Extending support to formation of separate Telangana State, Lok Satta Party chief and MLA Dr Jayaprakash Narayan here on Saturday urged the Centre to accord special status to backward areas in the Rayalaseema region or form it as a State.
Participating in the debate on the draft Telangana Bill in the Assembly, Dr Jayaprakash Narayan said Rayalaseema, which was more backward than the Telangana and Coastal Andhra regions would face severe losses due to State bifurcation. While the tax revenue and expenditure were equal in the Coastal Andhra Region, the revenue in the Rayalaseema region was Rs 18,215 crores while the expenditure was Rs 25,220 crores resulting in a deficit of Rs 7,005 crores per year. In the 2014-15 financial year, the deficit would increase to Rs 9,000 crores.
Regarding Telangana region, the tax revenue was Rs 41,391 crores and expenditure Rs 49,799 crores resulting in Rs 8,407-crore deficit. In Hyderabad, the capital of the State, the tax revenue was Rs 20,022 crores and expenditure Rs 7,162 crores resulting in the surplus of Rs 12,854 crores. Under the circumstances, the Centre should extend a helping hand to the regions, which would face loss, due to formation of separate Telangana State with Hyderabad as its capital, he demanded.
Stating that the per capita Income was also low in the Rayalaseema region, Dr JP said the per capita income was Rs 55,145 in Telangana, Rs 54,130 in the Coastal Andhra and Rs 43,000 in Rayalaseema. Referring to the figures of agriculture produce, he said agriculture production per a hectare in cash was Rs 20,200 in Telangana, Rs 33,000 in Coastal Andhra and Rs 15,000 in Rayalaseema.
Dr Jayaprakash Narayan said the irrigation intensity was 50 percent in Telangana, 60 percent in Coastal Andhra and 25 percent only in Rayalaseema. The manufacturing growth per year was 11 per cent in Telangana, 8.5 per cent in Coastal Andhra and minus 2 per cent in Rayalaseema. In the last 57 years, though chief ministers from the Rayalaseema region ruled the State for 37 years, the region remained undeveloped due to their criminal negligence, he alleged.
Pointing out that out of 11 States enjoying special status in the country, four States – Assam, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir — have similarities with the Rayalaseema region in population, literacy rate and other aspects. The special status to these States facilitating them to get more Central grants. If the Rayalaseema was also accorded special status, the region would get additional Rs 10,000-crore Central grants. Separate Rayalaseema State should be formed if the people of that region demanded for it, he added. He also said tax exemptions to Rayalaseema under special status would attract thousands of crores of rupees of investments to the area.
Dr Jayaprakasah Narayan stated violation of Gentlemen’s Agreement and several GOs have led to the agitation for formation of separate Telangana State. Reminding that people were looking at every issue in the regional angle, he opined that it was not proper to forcibly keep the State united that would lead to huge human loss. In the present situation, formation of Telangana State has become mandatory. Bifurcation of the State means only demarcation of geological boundaries between the Telugu people. It was not division of Telugu people and Telugu culture, he felt. He said the people of all the regions should mount pressure on the Centre and get maximum benefit to the regions, which would face loss due to bifurcation.
Dr JP also charged the Centre with not following the procedures in the matters of bifurcation of the State. Stating that the Bill was full of errors, he alleged that the Bill was brought by the ruling party as a part of election strategy. The Bill lacked proposals for development of the Telugu people after the bifurcation. (NSS)