Convenor of Rayalaseema Joint Action Committee N. Somasekhara Sarma urged the Group of Ministers (GoM) looking into the bifurcation issue to accord separate statehood to Rayalaseema by recommending the trifurcation of the State.
In a representation to the GoM, he said the backward Rayalaseema region could not sail with the much developed Coastal Andhra citing the various forms of deprivations and humiliations in the last 56 years.
Left in the lurch
Mr. Sarma said the voice of Rayalaseema had been raised long ago by K. Koti Reddy and Ramacharyulu but the wily Coastal Andhra leaders had managed to hoodwink the gullible Rayalaseema people from time to time.
Injustice was meted out to the region on multiple fronts be it irrigation, development, industrialisation, education or health. He explained that the total availability of water in the rivers was 3,286 tmcft in the State.
In proportion, Rayalaseema should get a share of 549 tmcft and if the arable area is taken into account, the region should be allocated 723 tmcft. In contrast to the equitable arrangement, the region was allotted only 122 tmcft. The meagre allocation of water is one of the primary reasons for the backwardness, poverty and misery in the region, he said.
Mr. Sarma said Andhra University was proposed at Anantapur way back in 1924 but it was shifted to Visakhapatnam.
Capital status for Kurnool
Similarly, the capital was established at Kurnool in 1953 but shifted within three years after the merger with Telangana.
The Coastal Andhra leadership was aware of the developments and acted accordingly. Mr. Sarma said the Srikrishna panel noted in detail the backwardness of Rayalaseema and suggested ways for improving the human index parameters. He argued that the panel supported its view of sustenance of Rayalaseema as a separate State.
The RS JAC urged the GoM to recommend statehood for Rayalaseema with capital at Kurnool.
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