Expert panel next week to select new Andhra capital: Ramesh

A five-member expert committee will be constituted next week to select capital of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, said union minister Jairam Ramesh.

The Group of Ministers (GoM) on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh met here Friday to review actions to be taken in the next few days.

Ramesh told reporters after the meeting presided over by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde that an expert committee will be announced early next week.

The central and the state governments are trying to complete all the works related to bifurcation before June 2, the day when Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will come into being.

Telangana will comprise 10 districts including Hyderabad while Andhra Pradesh will have 13 districts. Hyderabad will serve as joint capital for a period not exceeding 10 years.

The committee, to be constituted as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, will be given six months to hold consultations and make suggestions for establishment of the new capital.

Ramesh said the central government had already constituted two committees to bifurcate the employees between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. While one committee is looking into bifurcation of 84,000 state-level employees, the second panel is working out modalities for division of Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service officers.

"A special unit has also been set up in the Planning Commission to deal with the special development needs of Seemandhra or Andhra Pradesh," he said. A consultant appointed for the purpose is functioning under deputy chairman, Planning Commission.

The state government has appointed a special division headed by special chief secretary for the preparations to be made for bifurcation.

Ramesh said the state government has constituted 19 committees to look into various issues like physical and financial assets, allocation of employees, companies and corporations, contracts, training institutes, security and police and resource mobilization.

The committees are also dealing with issues like special development package, irrigation, higher education, medical institutions, services and infrastructure