Government preparing cabinet note on Telangana: Chidambaram

A cabinet note is being prepared to deal with procedural issues around formation of Telangana, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told parliament Monday.

"In the matter relating to the separate state of Telangana, the Constitution of India lays down a procedure for formation of new states," Chidambaram said in a brief statement in the Rajya Sabha.

"Besides, a number of substantive matters have to be addressed with the formation of new state. These matters are under consideration of the government," he said.

The statement came after several MPs demanded a statement from government over Telangana.

Chidambaram said the government will "bring a comprehensive note for the cabinet containing both substantive and procedural issues for the decision of the cabinet".

The issues, he said, "will include, but (will) not (be) limited to, sharing of river waters, generation and distribution of electricity, safety and security of all residents of all three regions, guarantee of fundamental rights of all residents etc".

He said a structured debate can be held in parliament once the cabinet takes a decisions.

"The government will welcome such a discussion at an appropriate time," Chidambaram said.

The statement comes as both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were disrupted by anti-Telangana protests.

The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, hit out at the Congress-led government for "messing up" the affairs in formation of Telangana.

"It is a serious issue, we need to understand feelings of both sides," BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said in the Rajya Sabha, as MPs from the state's other two regions - coastal Andhra and Rayalseema, known together as Seemandhra - protested against the formation of Telangana.

"I am saying this with a heavy heart, government has mishandled the whole affair," he said