Telangana's Agriculture Minister, Tummala Nageswara Rao, met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday to address crucial issues affecting both states. The discussions focused on the development of common border infrastructure, including roads, irrigation, and railway lines, as well as the administrative reintegration of five villages currently under Andhra Pradesh's purview.
Shared Infrastructure and Inter-State Coordination
The meeting between Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, held in Amaravati, served as a platform to foster cooperation between the two neighboring states. The Telangana minister highlighted the importance of expediting infrastructure projects situated in common border areas.
Key areas of discussion included:
Roads connecting the border regions.
Irrigation projects impacting both states.
Railway lines that serve populations across the state lines.
Minister Nageswara Rao stressed that the swift completion of these projects would yield substantial benefits for the residents of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He also proposed that higher-level talks between the governments would be instrumental in resolving various pending matters of mutual interest.
Reintegration of Five Telangana Villages
A significant point of contention and discussion was the status of five villages – Yetapaka, Kannaigudem, Picchikulapadu, Purushothapatnam, and Gundala. These villages, located near Bhadrachalam town, were merged with Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
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Minister Nageswara Rao formally requested the return of these villages to Telangana for administrative ease and convenience.
He argued that the development of a nearby temple would be facilitated if these villages were integrated back into Telangana.
Reports indicate that Chief Minister Naidu responded positively to this request, though it was noted that parliamentary legislation would be required to enact such a change.
This issue had previously been raised by Minister Nageswara Rao in November of the previous year through letters to the Union Home Minister and Chief Minister Naidu.
Funding and Repairs for Joint Projects
Beyond the broader infrastructure and village reintegration topics, the meeting also touched upon specific funding and repair needs.
Minister Nageswara Rao appealed to Chief Minister Naidu for the release of 85 percent of the funds designated for the repair of the Peddavagu project.
He also urged for the initiation of repairs on the Bhadrachalam retaining wall on the Andhra Pradesh side.
Broader Ministerial Engagements
This meeting with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister was part of a series of engagements for Telangana ministers. Notably, Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy met with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Hyderabad on the same day, indicating a broader push for inter-state coordination on various fronts.
Expert Analysis
The discussions highlight the ongoing complexities of inter-state relations following the bifurcation of states. Cooperation on shared resources like water and infrastructure remains paramount. The request for the reintegration of villages points to lingering administrative and geographical disputes that require careful negotiation and potentially legislative action.
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The promptness of the meeting and the minister's proactive approach suggest a desire to resolve these outstanding issues to foster better relations and facilitate development in border areas.
Conclusion
The meeting between Telangana's Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu represents a concrete step towards resolving common inter-state issues. The agenda encompassed critical infrastructure development in border regions and the sensitive matter of village reintegration. The positive reception to the village restoration request, coupled with discussions on essential project funding, signals a potential pathway for improved cooperation. Further follow-up actions, including parliamentary consideration for village transfers and the allocation of funds for joint projects, will be crucial in determining the ultimate outcome of these deliberations.
Sources Used:
Deccan Chronicle: Telangana agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao called on the Chief Minister N. TG Minister Thummala Calls On AP CM Naidu The Telangana minister raised the issues of roads in common border areas, irrigation projects and railway lines and called for their completion in an expeditious manner for the benefit of the people from both the states. He opined that it would be good for both the governments to have talks at the higher level to resolve several pending issues of mutual interest.🔗 https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/andhra-pradesh/tg-minister-thummala-calls-on-ap-cm-naidu-1937792
The Hindu: Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao called on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at Amaravati on Monday. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed a range of issues requiring close coordination and cooperation between the neighbouring States. Mr. Nageswara Rao underlined the need to expedite key infrastructure works in the border regions, including road connectivity, irrigation projects and railway lines, noting that their early completion would significantly benefit people in both the Telugu States. He apprised the Chief Minister of the progress and outstanding concerns relating to these projects and expressed confidence that the pending matters would be resolved through consultations at the highest level between the two governments.🔗 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/telangana-minister-tummala-meets-andhra-pradesh-chief-minister-chandrababu-naidu/article70639902.ece
Telangana Today: While the Irrigation Minister met the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister at Begumpet Airport, Agriculture Minister met the Andhra Pradesh CM at Undavalli. Telangana ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Tummala Nageswara Rao met counterparts in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to discuss panchayats, irrigation works, railway projects, and interstate coordination Hyderabad: In interesting political developments on Monday, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy met Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar, while Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. The Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister arrived in Hyderabad to attend a programme. On the other hand, Tummala Nageswara Rao urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to transfer the five panchayats, including Yetapaka, Kannaigudem, Picchikulapadu, Purushothapatnam and Gundala that have been merged with Andhra Pradesh. Stressing on coordination between the two States, he further appealed to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to release 85 percent funds for Peddavagu repair works and initiate repairs on the Bhadrachalam retaining wall at the Andhra Pradesh end.🔗 https://telanganatoday.com/telangana-ministers-meet-ap-karnataka-counterparts
Prokerala: Amaravati, Feb 16 : Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu here on Monday and requested that five villages, which were merged with Andhra Pradesh in 2014, be restored to Telangana.​ Amaravati, Feb 16 (IANS) Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu here on Monday and requested that five villages, which were merged with Andhra Pradesh in 2014, be restored to Telangana. Nageswara Rao told media persons after meeting the Chief Minister that Parliament has to pass legislation to return five villages to Telangana. Rao said the Chief Minister, Naidu, responded positively to the request. Nageswara Rao, who comes from Khammam district, said one has to cross these five villages in Andhra Pradesh to enter Telangana from Bhadrachalam town. In November last year, Nageswara Rao had written letters to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Naidu.🔗 https://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a1730013.html
Telangana Today: The temple would be developed if the villages are merged with Telangana, Nageswara Rao said. He also wrote letters to Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, N Chandrababu Naidu and A Revanth Reddy in this regard. It would be better if the villages are merged with Telangana for administrative convenience, he felt. In the wake of the reorganisation of districts in Andhra Pradesh, the five villages – Yatapaka, Kannaigudem, Pichukalapadu, Purushottapatnam and Gundala adjacent to Bhadrachalam town should be merged with Telangana, he said. Nageswara Rao urged the Centre to consider the issue positively.🔗 https://telanganatoday.com/minister-urges-centre-cms-of-telugu-states-to-demerge-five-telangana-villages
