(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The federal government is likely to take up the issue of bringing about some amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, in the coming budget session of parliament, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu said.
"We will be holding discussions with both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state governments besides lawmakers from the two states regarding amendments to the act. There have already been informal talks on some issues like the number of seats in the Legislative Council and division of government employees," Naidu told mediapersons in Hyderabad.
Asserting that the amendments would be taken up only after a broad consensus is arrived on various issues, the union minister, asked if the amendments could be expected during the coming session of parliament, said: "On some issues it might come... based on the duration of the budget session."
"There will be discussions on new bills and ordinances (in the budget session of parliament). Tomorrow a meeting of different ministries is scheduled on what bills they seek to introduce. It should be seen if (there is) sufficient space and duration (with regard to introducing amendments in the AP Reorganisation Bill)," Naidu said.
Referring to the water dispute between AP and Telangana being resolved by the states' respective Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu and K Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday, Naidu said it was good beginning. "Both the chief ministers should sort out the differences. The focus should be on development and the centre will extend all its support to both the states," he said.
The union minister dismissed as rumours talk about the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) joining the NDA government at the centre. "They are all rumours. There was no such discussion either with me or Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both TRS and BJP are different political parties," he clarified.
Asked about the demand for special category status to Andhra Pradesh, Naidu said: "It is under consideration of the centre. Certain issues are being worked out."
Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments have been requesting the centre to bring few amendments to effectively implement the AP Bifurcation Act. Recently, the Telangana government had requested the central government to bring an amendment with regard to re-merger of certain villages in Bhadrachalam revenue division from AP to Telangana for free access without affecting the villages that would be submerged under Polavaram project.
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