In a major relief to Telangana, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ruled that the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) belongs to Telangana.
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The Union Ministry’s recent communication to the Governments of the two Telugu States Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, brings to an end the stalemate prevailing over the division of assets pertaining to the public sector mining company between the two States as part of the AP Reorganisation Act. The Telangana State Government has been firm that the company belonged to it on the basis of location and this has been confirmed by the Attorney General.
Andhra Pradesh Government has been raising the issue during the high level meetings convened by the Union Home Ministry as well as the meetings of the Southern Zonal Council held from time to time. It raised objections to the Attorney General’s opinion asserting that they were factually incorrect as the coal blocks located in West Godavari and Krishna districts, were located in the successor State are under the purview of SCCL. “It can be concluded that SCCL is an inter-State company and its assets and liabilities are divisible as per Section 53 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014,” the AP Government maintained.
The Home Ministry accordingly sought the comments of Ministry of Coal in the matter and the latter informed that only one coal block Naini, which is situated in Odisha has been allocated to SCCL under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015. “Since, no coal bocks of SCCL is found to be situated in the successor State of Andhra Pradesh, the opinion of the Attorney General of India in respect of the SCCL is treated as final,” the Ministry said in the letter.