Hyderabad – In a positive step toward better cooperation, Telangana Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Civil Supplies Minister N Manohar met on Friday to address long-standing issues between the two states.
The two-hour meeting, held at the Civil Supplies Bhavan in Hyderabad, focused on resolving disputes under the AP Reorganization Act of 2014. One of the major breakthroughs was Andhra Pradesh’s decision to hand over the AP Civil Supplies Bhavan, a 25,000 square foot property in Hyderabad, to Telangana.
Minister Manohar confirmed the transfer and emphasized the need for a friendly relationship between the neighboring states. He said Telangana would officially take control of the building on June 1. Additionally, 16 flats in the Shanti Shikara Apartment will also be transferred to Telangana.
The ministers also tackled several key issues affecting both states. One major concern was the illegal transport of fine variety paddy from Andhra Pradesh into Telangana. This smuggling is linked to a ₹500 bonus scheme for Telangana farmers, which non-eligible brokers have been exploiting.
To address this, both governments plan to create a joint system to prevent fraud and ensure only genuine farmers from Telangana benefit from the bonus.
They also discussed using advanced technology to tighten controls and improve transparency in the distribution of fine rice to white ration card holders. Telangana offered to share its technological tools with Andhra to help improve services in the Civil Supplies departments of both states.
Another important topic was the export of Telangana rice via Andhra ports, particularly from Kakinada to countries like the Philippines. Minister Reddy said infrastructure at these ports would be upgraded to support international rice exports, which could boost the regional economy.
This meeting marks a significant move toward smoother cooperation and resolution of issues that have lingered since the bifurcation of the states nearly a decade ago.
