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Antony Committee

Sonia Gandhi appointed a four-member committee chaired by A.K. Antony, with Veerappa Moily, Digvijay Singh, and Ahmed Patel as members. The committee was tasked with deliberating the pros and cons of Telangana state and its consequences post-merger.

  • Stand on Telangana: Antony clarified multiple times that Congress would not go back on its decision to form Telangana.
  • Consultations: Seemandhra Ministers, MPs, MLAs, and Telangana leaders met with the committee.

Antony Committee Report

  • Submission Date: 20th August 2013.
  • Key Considerations: Addressed concerns of Seemandhra settlers in Hyderabad regarding security, resources, and governance.
  • Recommendations:
    • Hyderabad to be a common capital for 10 years.
    • Distribution of resources, river water, revenue, and educational institutions to be included in the AP Reorganization Bill.
    • Clear policies on ecology, environment, and rehabilitation.
    • Polavaram Project to be elevated to a National Level Project and completed at the earliest.

UPA Government’s Decision on Telangana

  • 30th July 2013: UPA allies decided in favor of Telangana formation.
  • Same Day: Congress Working Committee (CWC) formally approved the Telangana state proposal.
  • 5th August 2013: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram announced in Lok Sabha that the Telangana formation process had begun.
  • 3rd October 2013: Union Cabinet approved the Telangana draft note submitted by the Home Ministry.
  • 14th October 2013: Congress coordinating committee meeting:
    • Digvijay Singh handed over Antony Committee recommendations to Kiran Kumar Reddy, D. Rajanarasimha, B. Satyanarayana, and Chiranjeevi.

Key Recommendations of Antony Committee

  1. Sharing of water and mineral resources.
  2. Hyderabad as a common capital.
  3. Distribution of revenue, assets, and liabilities.
  4. Allocation of Andhra Pradesh state cadre officers and non-gazetted officers.
  5. Security of Seemandhra people in Hyderabad regarding their livelihood, lands, and properties.

Capital Boundaries Considered

The committee examined three options for defining the capital region:

  1. Hyderabad Revenue District
  2. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)
  3. Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA)
  • Final Recommendation: GHMC was suggested as the common capital.

The Antony Committee emphasized introducing rules and regulations in the AP Reorganization Bill to instill confidence among Seemandhra residents in Hyderabad. It also recommended equal educational opportunities for Seemandhra candidates.

The final report was submitted to the Group of Ministers for further action.

A K Antony Committee voices its concern for Seemandhra people settled in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana. In this context, explain the special provisions recommended by the committee to protect the interests of Seemandhra people settled in Telangana.

Approach:

Introduction Even as the Group of Ministers continues to discuss and debate the draft Bill on Telangana, a report issued by the A K Antony Committee on Oct 4, 2013 has come to light. Among the many points that the committee makes on revenue, water, education and Hyderabad’s status as common capital for 10 years, the panel consistently voices its concern for Seemandhra people settled in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana.
Body ·         Seemandhra citizens residing in Telangana, primarily, Hyderabad, be treated as insiders for the transition period of 10 years.

·         Health and Education

·         Trade and Industry

·         Regarding the boundaries of the common capital of Hyderabad.

·         A Bill should have a provision that the Government of Telangana in future does not pass a Bill to acquire such properties and business with retrospective effect.

·         In terms of education, the panel says that since most of the educational institutions are located in Hyderabad, the same principles of admission in these educational institutions be continued for the next 10 years as they exist today.

·         Sharing of tax revenueè adequate protection should be given to the Seemandhra region in sharing the revenue collected in the city of Hyderabad.

·         All the pensioners and family members of such State government employeesè get domicile of the new State of Telangana and shall not be under any obligation to return to Seemandhra against their will.

·         Polavaram project will be declared a national project

·         The panel accepts that there is a “fear psychosis” among the people of Seemandhra

Conclusion However, after formation of Telangana all these fears have become irrelevant as the Tensions got calm down. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said that there was nothing as “settlers” in reference to people who have migrated from coastal and Rayalaseema districts and made a living in Hyderabad.
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