Rajya Sabha passes Telangana Bill

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill to carve out Telangana, India's 29th State, by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.

The Bill was passed amid noisy protests by Seemandhra MPs and others who were opposed to the division. The Bill was earlier passed amid pandemonium in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The din in which the much anticipated Telangana bill was passed on Thursday began as soon as home minister Sushilkumar Shinde moved the bill for consideration and passage in the House around 3.30 PM. Shinde announced that a Special Category State status would be given to Seemandhra for a period of five years.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh announced a six-point development package for the residual State of Andhra Pradesh in Rajya Sabha. He said that the announcement would demonstrate government's steadfast commitment to creation of Telangana and for continued prosperity of Seemandhra. Special package for backward regions of successor state of Andhra Pradesh in particular for districts of Rayalaseema and north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Resource gap in successor state of Andhra Pradesh in first year will be compensated in the regular Union Budget for 2014-15.

The Prime Minister assured the Rajya Sabha that government would execute Polavaram project.

Earlier, the BJP threw a surprise when it called for amendments to the Bill soon after it was tabled in Rajya Sabha for a discussion. However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath ruled out amendments "at the eleventh hour." He contended that the BJP did not press for any amendment in Lok Sabha. "They suddenly changed their mind and want to move amendments…I have requested them to let the bill be passed," he said.