Cabinet meet today to discuss dissolving Andhra Assembly

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet will meet at 5.30 pm on Friday to discuss on the dissolution of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. The decision on implementation of President's Rule in the state is also likely to be taken.

President's Rule was imposed in Andhra earlier this year but according to the Constitution, Parliament has to ratify it before April 30. As Parliament cannot be called now, Cabinet is likely to take up the matter.

Meanwhile, the government has initiated the process for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh by the appointed day on June 2 when Telangana comes into existence. The exercise for the distribution of assets, water and allocation of central cadre officers between the two states is in final stage and is expected to be completed soon.

Official sources said the expert committee, which was set up to recommend a site for the capital of successor state of Andhra Pradesh, will visit the Seemandhra region in the first week of May and have wide ranging discussions with all stake- holders.

The expert committee, headed former Union Urban Development Secretary K Sivaramakrishnan, had a meeting with senior Home Ministry officials today and discussed various ways forward.

The terms of reference of the committee include: to study various alternatives for locating the new capital of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh and evaluate their comparative suitability based on available data, site visits and consultations with the stakeholders, central government and the existing government of Andhra Pradesh and the successor state of Andhra Pradesh and submit its report by August 31.

It will also evaluate the possible alternatives and make appropriate recommendations based on the following considerations. Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan met Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Thursday and discussed various issues concerning the two states.

The two new states - Telangana with 10 districts and Andhra Pradesh with 13 districts - will come into being on June 2. Hyderabad will be the joint capital of the two states for 10 years.