Minister Tummala seeks Centre’s intervention to restore five GPs merged with Andhra Pradesh

Minister for Agriculture and Marketing Tummala Nageswara Rao urged the Union government to take steps to restore five Gram Panchayats (GPs) adjoining Bhadrachalam town to Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, stating that their merger with Andhra Pradesh was an ‘anomaly’. These villages were merged with Andhra Pradesh after the formation of Telangana.

In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, Mr. Nageswara Rao sought the restoration or re-transfer of Yatapaka, Kannaigudem, Pitchikalapadu, Purushothapatnam and Gundala Gram Panchayats, which together comprise 19 revenue villages stating that they remain geographically, functionally and administratively linked to Telangana.

Urging the Centre to examine the matter holistically, he said Parliament should discuss this long-pending issue during a special session likely to be held this month to debate key legislative moves, including the Women’s Reservation Act and the proposed delimitation exercise.

Highlighting the hardships faced by residents, predominantly by tribals, Mr. Tummala Nageswara Rao said the district headquarters of Alluri Sitarama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh is around 282 km away, whereas the Bhadradri Kothagudem district headquarters in Telangana is just 40 km away.

The letter also flagged internal security concerns in view of the influence of Left Wing Extremism (LWE). According to the Minister, discontinuous territorial boundaries complicate coordination among policing and security agencies.

Mr. Nageswara Rao further drew attention to issues related to the administration and development of the Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Temple at Bhadrachalam. While the temple itself is located in Telangana, substantial temple-related lands fall within the Purushothapatnam village in Andhra Pradesh. He said Telangana has proposed developmental works worth about ₹300 crore for the Bhadrachalam temple region, and a unified administrative framework is essential for effective planning and integrated development.