Why is Naidu in so much a hurry to relocate himself to Vijayawada? Today the cabinet meeting is being held in the city, to show his resolve to shift his base. He announced that he would work for three days every week from the camp office here. He appointed P Krishnamohan, registrar of college of architecture ,as OSD in CMCO in Vijayawada.
Earlier, he again appointed a new committee of officials to identify the department and persuade the employees to shift to temporary capital.
The thought of relocating all heads of the department(HoD) is one year old. In 2014 also he
set up a committee of senior officers to identify the departments to be relocated
to new capital region and seek the opinions of employees. Even after a half dozen meetings, the committee could not identify the departments and found that employees were not inclined to shift to temporary capital. Another important aspect is almost all IAS officer were opposed to this temporary shifting of the capital. Why?
Employees’ reasons:
1. Majority employees have constructed house and they are well settled in Hyderabad. If they were to relocate to Vijayawada they need an accommodation. They have to pay rent. This is an extra burden. Shifting families is not possible now because academic year has already begun.
2. Children of all employees will become non-locals in Vijayawada as they belong to Telangana state. This issue has to be settled.
3. Most important aspect is the allocation of house sites in Hyderabad. Erstwhile AP has allocated house sites to NGOs. Telangana is arguing that they are not eligible for house site as they are going back to their state. the matter is in court. If they were to move, TS argument gains strength , it could easily cancel the allocation. Each plot costs Rs 50 to 60 lakhs.
4. The shifting is likely to separate wife and husband if they are working in government and public sector.
Employees want these issues to be addressed first.
“AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, facilitates us to stay in Hyderabad for a period of 10 years. Then, why should we relocate our offices to the new capital by relinquishing our right here?” asked AP Revenue Services Association president Bopparaju Venkateswarlu .
IAS officers’ reasons
1. They do not express their view in public like NGO leaders. IAS officer also lose a 500 sq yard house site in Hyderabad if there were to choose to work from temporary capital. Who will forego such a huge and expensive land in Hyderabad.
2. Vijayawada does not have a social life comparable to Hyderabad- recreation, hotels, restaurants, malls, theaters, international airport, quality private schools.
3. There are many legal issues involved. Everyday hundreds of officers(IAS and NGO) need to attend courts. Coming from Vijayawada for court cases puts heavy burden on government.
“If we go to the new capital region, our children will be treated as non-locals there. That means, they will be ineligible for government jobs there. So, the zonal system set up as per Article 371(D) should first be scrapped,” a senior IAS officer said.
So, why is it that Naidu wants to relocate his office over night after remaining silent for over 7 months?
The talk is that Telangana government was annoyed by the constant refrain from AP ministers that they would not vacate Hyderabad even a day before the expiry of 10 year time given in AP Reorganization Act. The T-government is worried that if AP capital construction is delayed, there is a possibility of Andhras demanding extension of deadline. Their presence would jeopardize the complete ownership rights of TS over Hyderabad.
So, if sources are to believed, as part of the common understanding between TS and AP brokered by centre, the Telangana would not drag Naidu into cash-for -vote scam and Naidu would reciprocate it by shifting his base from Hyderabad to Vijayawada.
Many senior officers wonder as to how the CM would operate from Vijayawada when the secretariat and departments remain back in Hyderabad. Shifting departments necessitate shifting of about 20,000 employees to Vijayawada. Can government find accommodation to these employees?
