Move apace on bifurcation

• Chief Secretary sets up an 8-member apex committee
• 14 sub-committees also formed to help the apex committee
• A research committee to be set up to help the process
• It is likely to take 2-3 months to complete the process
• Centre will finalise the appointed day based on final report

The committees will submit reports on division of assets and liabilities and human resources (78,000 state-wide officials and central civil servants), 74 state-wide directorates, various buildings in Hyderabad as well as 33 departments at the Secretariat

Hyderabad: Chief Secretary P K Mohanty has constituted an eight-member apex committee led by S P Tucker, the Principal Secretary (Planning), to study and submit reports to facilitate bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

As many as 14 sub-committees are set up various subjects including revenue, power, finance, police, irrigation, assets and liabilities. Four IAS officials, two each from Seemandra and Telangana, will oversee them.

These committees will go into all issues including staff pattern, assets and liabilities division. The Chief Secretary is leaving for Delhi on Wednesday.

The Chief Secretary will submit a report to the Centre on the measures taken up for state bifurcation.

He convened a meeting with all principal secretaries and directorate heads on Tuesday in Secretariat.

Some of the officials observed that two to three months time needed to divide all the things between the two states.

The Centre wants to maintain harmony and seamless continuity in the secretariats of both States for smooth functioning of administration. Sources said that the Centre will finalise the appointed day for the State bifurcation, based on the report submitted by Mohanty.

Speaking to press persons, Mohanty said that the research committee would study the rational placement of IAS officers, state-level officers and staff in various departments in the two States. He said that there would be subject experts in research committee along with officials. He said that the committees were asked to make available all the reports before the central committee on state bifurcation. He said that officials were asked to complete computerisation of all as soon as possible. The committees would start their work and prepare reports as soon as possible.

The Tucker Committee will prepare comprehensive reports on division of assets and liabilities and distribution of employees, employment prospects in both States, computerization of all departments etc. It will also take up preparing copies of existing important files and other issues.

Apart from these committees, a research committee with 25 members will be set up to study the rational aspect of placement of employees in 74 state-wide directorates in Hyderabad and 33 departments at the Secretariat. The issue of dividing the 78,000 state-level officers would also be made ready for the main committee. The research committee will also suggest reforms and rules in designing administration set-up in both the States. An official said, “These committees would also study the need of number of departments and its heads in the two States”. The central committee headed by Tucker, which has final authority in dividing the employees and setting up of departments, will rely on the research committee recommendations while finalising the staff pattern of various departments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

It will also go over the recommendations dividing the buildings in Hyderabad for 10 years between both the States.