AP Report 2019-final

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AFTERWORD
Status Report - Union’s Commitment to Andhra Pradesh
his report of IGE is a genuine non-partisan expert effort to help resolve contentious
issues relating to the division of Andhra Pradesh. The report essentially
deals with the dispute between the Union and the Successor State of Andhra
Pradesh, and not the unresolved issues between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regarding
division of assets etc. In respect of unresolved issues between the two Successor
States, facts are not in dispute, and mechanisms are available to resolve issues between
the States; the law has prescribed the processes and procedures and the Union has the
definitive role and responsibility to complete the process.
The dispute between the Union and Andhra Pradesh State can only be resolved by a spirit
of mutual trust and respect, and Parliament, political parties, media and civil society should
facilitate the process. However, when facts are in dispute, and the whole issue is politicized
in a partisan and polarizing manner, public intellectuals, credible media and civil society
should step in to clear the air and provide fact-based, objective opinion.
Under each of the ten issues discussed, this report clearly listed the commitments of the
Union government by law and the Prime Minister’s official statement in Parliament, the current
status of the implementation of the commitments, the feasibility of implementing the
pledge, and finally wherever appropriate, a clear recommendation of the Independent Group
of Experts (IGE).
We realize that the Union Government may have fiscal constraints in honouring the commitments
at one go, or in paying the arrears due for past years. The IGE therefore suggests
that where there are ways and means constraints for cash transfers, the amounts due to the
State may be set off against the State’s debt to Government of India or parastatals, thus
giving fiscal room to the State for borrowing to the same extent. In addition, the Union may
issue short/medium tenure Andhra Pradesh Relief Bonds for providing Special Assistance
to Andhra Pradesh as per the commitments made, and the Union will redeem these bonds.
Such measures will ensure required assistance to the State without creating cash flow problems
for the Union.
When a dispute between the Union and a major State leads to high degree of polarization,
parochial tendencies rise. When there is a deep seated sense of grievance and injustice
widely prevalent in any State in a federal polity, that needs to be addressed fairly, objectively
and swiftly. Otherwise the long term unity and integrity of the nation would be weakened.
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