CCSAP Report - Ministry of Home Affairs

2.15 Summary and Discussion
2.15.01 One of the major arguments for a separate state of Telangana has
been that since the formation of the state of AP, this region has been neglected
and even discriminated against, resulting in economic and social hardship.
Compared with coastal Andhra, it is alleged that Telangana has low per capita
income, lower access to employment, lower business opportunities and low
access to education and so on. It is also alleged that most of the higher level
economic opportunities are appropriated by those belonging to coastal Andhra.
At the outset, some or all such allegations appear true when absolute amounts,
numbers and percentages are reviewed. Yet, when a study of rate of change,
growth rate and shares in the state economy is evaluated, nothing unusual
emerges. Telangana excluding Hyderabad, currently has a share of 36% in state
population and 41% in state land mass. Any development parameter that is
consistent with these shares can be considered on par or at parity with the
population / share of land mass. Indeed, one finds that at a reference point in
the past, such as the census 1961 or 1956 or 1974 since when factual data are
available, the shares for Telangana were far too low (refer to Figure 2.44). In
recent years, however the shares of Telangana for many common development
parameters are in league with the share of population / area, often being higher.
There are a few crucial indicators on which Telangana is lagging behind, and
they appear to have occurred due to structural causes of the economy and also
due to concentration of economic activity in Hyderabad district/urban
agglomeration.
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