War of words begins between AP & TS over TTD revenue

Even before the long-standing dispute of Krishna River water sharing can reach an amicable solution, another storm has emerged between the two Telugu-speaking States. This time it is a row over sharing of revenue earned by the TTD, leading to worsening of political relations between the two states.

Soundarrajan, a priest of Chilkur ‘ Balaji temple’ filed a petition in the High Court alleging that TTD is yet to clear Rs. 1,000 crore old dues as part of TTD’s revenue since 1987 and the High Court has issued notices to the AP government. With this notices, the ruling TDP leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu alleged that Telangana has not shared Hyderabad’s revenues with Andhra Pradesh. He further said that Soundarrajan’s petition is baseless and the TTD is governed by its own rules and policies.

According to the States Reorganization Act, TTD which runs the shrine, need not share its revenues, but the act came into effect in July this year. The Telangana government has vowed to get back its rightful share of Rs. 241 crore out of the Rs. 576 crore Common Good Fund pending since 2003 till the state bifurcation in 2014.