The Telangana government has decided to make a strong pitch with the Central Government on allocation of new coal blocks to public sector miner Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).
The State government has decided to utilise the upcoming Southern Zonal Council meeting on August 20 to impress upon the Central Government against forcing SCCL to participate in auction of mining blocks. The government has resolved to raise the issue during the SZC meeting to be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah or Union Home Secretary asserting that SCCL is a public sector undertaking with State and Central Government participation and it should be given the first priority in allocation of blocks.
The State government has lined up several issues for the 31st meeting of the SZC being held after a gap of four long years at Mahabalipuram on August 20. A strong team headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao and D. Sridhar Babu will participate in the meeting. It will be assisted by officials from major departments like Finance, Irrigation and Energy led by Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju to present a strong case in support of Telangana’s demands.
The government has also decided to convey its reservations against the Andhra Pradesh government’s moves to seek Centre’s intervention in the apportionment of assets and liabilities of Schedule IX and X institutions as well as institutions not listed anywhere in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The neighbouring State has been frequently referring to Section 66 of the Act dealing with the power of Central Government to order allocation or adjustment in certain unresolved cases between the two States.
Officials said the State was firm on implementation of provisions mentioned in Section 47, 48 and 49 of the Act for apportionment of assets and liabilities and there was no need for Centre’s intervention. “They (A.P. government) demanded apportionment of 32 institutions not listed anywhere and the number subsequently came down to 19, 12 and 6 at present. The Attorney General clarified that division of assets will be on location basis and these institutions belong to Telangana as all are located here,” a senior official told The Hindu.
The State has decided to seek implementation of assurances on setting up of new educational institutions like IITs, IIMs, NITs, Central Universities and IISER as assured in the Section 93 of the AP Reorganisation Act. The issue has been included in the agenda after the Central Government has recently said it has no plans to approve a new IIM for Telangana as the State already had 604 institutions offering management courses and numerous premier central universities.
Another issue of attention will be the irrigation projects over river Krishna which is likely to witness a heated debate if allowed. The Telangana government has decided to raise its concerns over ‘unauthorised’ projects taken up by Karnataka and the neighbouring State sought to express its reservations over construction of projects like Palamuru-Rangareddy and Nakkalagandi by Telangana for taking water from the fore shores of Srisailam project.
The agenda of the SZC circulated to the member States, including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala and Union Territory Puducherry, however makes mention of only three issues pertaining to Telangana. They are: Irrigation issues with reference to Section 3 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act 1956, unauthorised projects taken up by Karnataka across Krishna river and conferment of national status to Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and Kaleshwaram projects.
Published - August 17, 2026 06:54 pm IST