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Chapter – 3

Profile of Andhra Pradesh Region and District-wise

The word “Andhra” was referred to in the “Itheriya Brahmana” for the

first time in 600 BC. Reference to Andhras was given in the Vyasa

“Mahabharath and also in “Vayupurana”. In the “Ramayana” of Valmiki also

the word Andhra was used. One of the sons of king Bali, by name Andhrudu

established the Andhra Kingdom as per Bhagavatham. Andhras and Andhakas

were one and same as maintained by the great Historian Mallampalli

Somashekara Sharma. Epigraphic evidence also substantial’s this relationships.

The word Telugu was first referred to by Nannayya in the Telugu Mahabarath.

Then in Sanskrit means the southern side. Telugus, Tehugus and Tenuguads

lived in the South India to the South of the Vindyas in the Buddhist literature,

Andhra area was labelled as Anda area which implies that they could not see the

other areas in India.

Megasthenese, the Greece ambassador to the Mouryan kings stated that

there was “Andire” Kingdom in the Krishna Godavari basin and it became

Andhra over time Srishilam, Kaleshwaram and Draksharamam are the three

Shiva kshetras and their combined name is “Trilingas” The name

Telugudesham/ Thrilinga desham came into existence as mentioned by

Vidyanath, the court poet of king Prathaparudra – II of Kakatiya dynasty.

The history of Andhra Pradesh dates back to twenty thousand to ten

thousand B.C. Ancient men lived in the Coastal area and there are evidences of

human existence in the excavations ‘Indica’ of Megasthenese, the epigraph of

Ashoka refer to the people of Andhra Pradesh. The epigraphies of Ashoka are

the first evidences of the existence of ‘Andhras’. Though there were different

kings and dynasties before the Sathavahana’s the real glory of Andhra’s

culminated in the Sathavahana era. Thirty Sathavahana kings ruled for over 450

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years extending their rule over North India and Central India. Ikshwaks,

Pallavas, Salankanyas, Vishnukundiyans and Chalukyas ruled different parts of

Andhra Pradesh and extended their empires to other areas.

The Kakatiya kings unified the entire Andhra Pradesh and some parts of

neighboring states. Their rule extended between 973 – 1323 AD. Kakatiya

dynasty and its form ended with self sacrifices of Prataparudra – II in 1323 AD

on the bank of the river Narmada. Kakatiya period has brought glory, name and

fame to Andhra’s.

Kammas, Naikas, Padma Nayakas, Kondaveeti Reddy’s Gajapathi kings

ruled different parts of Andhra Pradesh after the fall of Kakatiya kingdom.

In the history of Andhra Pradesh Vijayanagara Kingdom and that period

is stated as the golden period (swarna yuga). This kingdom was established in

1336 with the blessings of sage Vidhyaranya on the bank of the river Thunga

Bhadra by Harihara and Bukkarayalu. Vijayanagara kingdom was ruled by

Sangama, Saluva, Thuluva and Araveeti dynasties. Krishnadevaraya (1505 –

1529) was called Andhra Bhojha. Telugu literature under his rule received all

encouragement. His court poets (8) were called “Asta Diggajhas” eight

elephants to uplift Telugu literature to sky high. His period was the real golden

era for the Telugu literature. Vijayanagara period was particularly known fro its

literary output. Works of great literarty merit were written in different genres of

literature. It was rightly called the ‘Age of Prabandhas’. Ashtadiggajas (eight

great elephants) adorned the court of Krishnadevaraya, a well known poet

himself. He authored Amuktamalyada. Other poets included Allasani Peddana,

Tenali Ramakrishan, Bhattumurthy, Nandi Timmana, Pingali Surana to name

only a few. Annamacharya, the padakavitapitamaha, who penned more than

30,000 songs, belonged to this period. Fine arts including architecture reached

their pinnacle of glory. The city of Hampi–Vijayanagara with its immense

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architectural wealth along with Lepakshi sculpture and murals became world

famous.

The Bahamani Kingdom was established after defeating the armies of

Delhi Sultanate during the Tughlak rule. The Bahamanis ruled for less than two

centuries. Bahamani Kingdom owed much of its progress and development to

Mohammed Gawan, the prime minister of Muhammed Shah–II. He introduced

far reaching reforms in the fields of land revenue, education and general

administration. The coastal territories of the Andhra region were brought under

the Bahamani rule. The burden of taxation was high as rulers had to wage a

number of wars and also maintain a life of luxury. Industrial growth was

registered in the manufacturing of textiles, carpets, Bidri products, knives,

bronze and brass goods.

Prior to the Asafjahis, the Andhra Region (including the present

Telangana) was ruled for one and half century (1527-1687AD) by the illustrious

Qutbshahis, Persian Shia Muslims by origin. The Qutbshahis were tolerant

towards other faiths. Hindus belonging to different communities were also made

a part of the state administration. It was during this period that the landed gentry

called the Mirasidars emerged. They constituted the support base to the ruling

Qutbshahis. The latter day class of Zamindars were an offshoot of the

Mirasidars. Known in history for its heavy taxation, the Qutbshahis rule

witnessed economic prosperity. Trade and commerce flourished. European

trading eompanies established factories in the coastal areas such as

Masulipatnam which in the course of time became a renowned centre of

industry and commerce.

Qutabshahis rule was known for religious harmony. Royal patronage was

extended to Hindu temples Brahmin priests and scholars were granted

agraharas. Mention in this context, may be made to the well known temples at

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Bhadrachalam, Malleeswaram and the village given as grant to Kuchipudi

bhagavataras in Krishna district. Under the influence of Sufism, several kankas

(Mathas) were established and festivals such as Naoroj and Mohurrum were

commonly celebrated by all communities. The influence of Hindusim on

Muslim architecture of this period could also be found as an eloquent testimony

of the formation of a composite Deccani culture.

The cultural florescence during the Qutabshahis rule was significant from

several angles. Language and literature of Urdu were undergoing changes

resulting in the formation of Deccani language and culture. Kshetrayya, the first

exponent of Sringara through his padams and Bhakta Ramadas with his

keertanas on Lord Rama of Bhadrachalam enriched both music and literature.

In the Muslim architectural constructions of the period, the influence of

Hindu symbols such as Poornakumbha, lotus swans and elephants could be

found. Literacy and cultural glory reached its peak and cultural synthesis was

achieved. Social protest was evident in the poems of Vemana and

Veerabrahmam. They directed their ire against social evils and also the

orthodoxy as represented by Brahmin priestly classes. Condemning caste

inequalities, they were egalitarian and secular in their outlook. These reformist

trends had the Islamic influence and also the trace of influence of medieval saint

philosophers like Kabir and Nanak.

Andhra under the Colonial Rule

The forgoing account is provided so as to serve as a curtain raiser to

modern period as many of these developments had a significant bearing on it.

The Asafjahis established their power in 1724 AD and till the beginning of the

19th century, over the three regions of Andhra - Telangana Rayalaseema and

coastal territory. By 1802 AD Andhra and Rayalaseema regions were finally

brought under the British rule. Telangana along with some other territories in

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the present Karnataka and Maharashtra states remained as an ‘independent’

state of Hyderabad under Asafjahis. In their growth and development these two

areas, Andhra (including Rayalaseema) and Telangana differed seriously. This

distinctiveness was visible in administrative, social and cultural spheres.

The colonial rule, spread over a period of one and half centuries,

witnessed three major developments. They were interrelated and one led to the

emergence of the other. First, the effects of colonial intervention in the native

economy through the introduction of two revenue settlements – the permanent

and Ryotwari, in particular, the latter changed the economic face of the region.

Their impact on agriculture and industry led to structural changes in the socio

economic set up. Commercialization of agriculture, to suit the industrial needs

of England, was one of the serious consequences of these settlements. Pressed

to pay land revenue in cash, peasants borrowed money. They also took to the

production of cash crops and were thus exposed to the fluctuations of money

market. The legal system introduced by the British ushered in even more far

reaching changes in the agriculture sector than land revenue. Now, peasants

were place at the money of law courts where money lenders could get favorable

decisions by engaging lawyers.

Behind the development of this period was the construction of anacuts

(bridges) on the Godavari and Krishna rivers in 1952 and 1955 respectively.

They immensely helped the growth of agriculture in the Godavari and Krishna

districts which since then came to be called the granary of Andhra. The

conditions of peasantry were considerably improved along with the benefits

accrued to the wealthier sections. The construction of railways, in this part of

the country was commenced in 1890 AD and was over by 1893 AD. The

railways contributed to the further growth of trade and commerce and also made

journey easy and cheap. They also led to the flow of ideas from and the direct

access to the Presidency metropolis (Madras city).

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The urbanization in Andhra began by the middle of the 19th century and

many towns came into existence by the close of the century. The movement of

rural population to the urban areas was largely due to the higher wages and

greater freedom from caste repression which the towns held out to the ‘lower

sections’ of the population and to the superior social and educational advantages

and the more varied amenities which they offered to the better off classes.

Generally the railways increased the trade of these places where they reached

and also created new trading centers along its track. Introduction of modern

education in these places made a number of rich rural upper and middle castes

people to migrate to these urban centers. The new professional classes (educated

middle class) came into existence in the wake of these towns. Middle classes

fought for liberal and democratic values and respected individual freedom but

not religious authority. They stood for intellectual freedom and social mobility

and became the carriers of new ideas and provided social basis for and

orientation to social reform movements.

The social reform movements were the second major development that

took place during the colonial period of modern Andhra. Twin objectives

guided these movements. One is to connect with the colonial culture and,

second, to initiate reforms to effect social transformation. The reform efforts in

Andhra were best represented by the movement initiated by Kandukuri

Veeresalingam. He evinced, like other reformers of the 19th century, a keen

interest in the spread of scientific knowledge and the growth of rational

thinking. Being a great literary figure, he made use of literature to spread reform

ideas among the people. Literature, Veeresalingam, was means to an end. Being

a moderate in politics, he extolled the virtues of British rule and was thus a

victim of ‘false consciousness’ as were the other reformers of the 19th century

who believed in the instrumentality of British rule for the transformation of

Indian society. Yet he was not an evident of status quo; he believed in the

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organic theory of progress and in the given situation in India championed the

cause of social reform as the immediate task. The central concern of social

reform endeavours was the emancipation of women.

In the wake of the social movements, the organization of district social

conferences became a regular phenomenon. These social conferences slowly

graduated into politically-conscious district conferences. They discussed the

public issues concerning the people of respective districts and championed their

cause by passing resolutions, submitting memoranda to the government

officials. There emerged a non-Brahmin consciousness in the coastal districts of

Andhra but it did not take the form of anti-Brahmin feelings like in Tamilnadu.

Therefore, some of the leading personalities of the non-Brahmin movement like

Thripuraneni Ramaswamy Chowdary did not adopt anti-congress stance, and in

fact, became an integral part of the national movement. The unique feature of

the national liberation struggle in the Andhra region was the simultaneous

growth of the left movement, which in its initial stages was a part of it. Later on

during the 1940s, it developed into a strong communist movement with its

strong presence among the Kisans (farmers), industrial labour, students and the

youth. It is noteworthy that the communist movement in Andhra took up,

besides its politico-economic programme, the unfinished tasks of bourgeois

democratic revolution, reviving the renaissance spirit of the earlier times paving

the way for democratization of language, literature and culture.

Conditions of Hyderabad state under the Nizam

In the Telangana region of the erstwhile Hyderabad State, as noted

earlier, the Asafijahis established their rule in 1724 AD. Asafijahis, though by

and large, religiously tolerant, were essentially religious fundamentalists. They

were not popular economically and socially the region remained backward. In

the Telangana region the major reform activity centered round the Arya Samaj

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with its Hindu religious overtones. However, it did not lead to religious

revivalism. On the other hand the consciousness that came out of Arya Samaj

activites gradually turned into nationalist upsurge. Swamy Ramananda Tirtha

was the leader of the movement and by 1930s the national movement gained

momentum in the Telangana region.

In the Hydrabad State under the Nizam there were three major linguistic

divisions, Telangana, Karnataka and Marathwada. All these territories put

together, it was 82,000 square miles in extent with about 20 million population.

Of this Telugu speaking people were more than ten million occupying about

50,000 square miles. It was thoroughly neglected during the rule of the Nizams.

The poor people mostly dependent on agriculture were subjected to forced

labour such as begar and vetti. Their conditions were worse than serfs. The

language and literature were totally neglected. Even to peak in Telugu which

was their mother tongue.

When the Indian National Congress was established in 1885 AD, the

enlightened sections of the state welcomed the event. Among them Aghoranath

Chattopadhyaya, father of Sarojini Naidu, Mulla Abdulla Khayyam, Sorabji,

Ismail Saheb, Iawyer Ramachandra Pillai were prominent. The steady growth of

journalism and journals like Hyderabad Record, and Shaukat-ul-Islam were

placed under strict surveillance. Political consciousness per se was evidenced

only by 1920s AD. However, with the organization of Arya Samaj in 1882 AD,

social awareness was gradually taking shape. The social culture movements in

the Andhra region during this period also had their deep impact. In 1901 AD,

with the initiative taken by Komarraju Lakshmana Rao, Sri

Krishnadeverayandhra Bhasha Nilayam, the first Telugu library, was

established in Hyderabad in 1901 AD. A number of literary, scientific and

historical works were published under the aegis of Vignana Chandrika Grandha

Mandali organized by Komarraju. With the establishment of Osmania

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University in 1919 AD, the process of enlightenment quickened. The nationalist

movement under the leadership of Gandhiji in the second decade of the 20th

century had its strong impact mainly on the urban centers, Hyderabad, Warangal

and other towns. Already the literary movement which spread to several places

familiarized people with the latest publications of politics, economy literature

and culture. The ‘Constructive programme’ launched by Gandhiji inspired

people to take part in activities such as untouchability, Khadi, Hindi learning,

Swaraj fund and the like. Mention should be made of leaders like Jayasurya,

Akbar Ali Khan, Makbool Mohammed Ansari, Mir Muhammad Hussain and

several others who took active part in all these programmes. Khilafat Movement

was effectively organized in Hyderabad, Raichur, Gulbarga, Karimnagar,

Medak, Jangaon and other places. Without differences of religion, people in

large numbers enthusiastically participated.

Andhra Jana Sangham, a social and cultural organization representing the

emerging popular sentiment to revive, protect and propagate Telugu language,

literature and culture and also to spread social and political enlightenment in the

Telangana region was formed in 1922 AD. It was an event of great significance.

Leader like Madapati Hanumantha Rao, Adiraju Veerabhadra Rao, Burgula

Ramakrishna Rao, shaped the organization into a powerful body through their

service and sacrifice. Gradually, the Sangham was focusing on the concerns of

common people and poorer sections of society. They apposed vetti and

condemned the autocratic rule of the Nizam. To educate people, they brought

out several books, leaflets and published prestigious scholarly special numbers

like Kakatiya Sanchika. Through journals such as Nilagiri Patrika, Golkonda

Patrika, Telugu Patrika, they developed literary taste and spread enlightened

ideas relating to society and culture. Despite, a number of obstacles created by

the Nizam government, the Jana Sangham gradually evolved into a powerful

voice representing people’s problems. The transformation of the Jana Sangham

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into Andhra Mahasabha at Jogipet in 1930 AD, heralded a new phase in the

history of Telangana people’s struggle against the Nizam. As an adjunct to the

Mahasabha, women’s wing was added at Jogipet. The Mahasabha now

expanded its agenda and became more people-oriented. Undertaking

programmes such as the protection of the rights of peasantry in Jagir lands,

women’s education, abolition of Purdah system, making Telugu the medium of

instruction, local elections and the like. By 1944 AD, the radical influence of

the communist party on the Mahasabha resulted in a split. The so-called

moderates under the leadership of Madapati Hanamantha Rao and K.V. Ranga

Reddy started ‘Jatiya Andhra Mahasabha’ which advocated the merger of

Hyderabad State in the Indian Union.

The Andhra Mahasabha on one hand and the Hyderabad congress

committee on the other participated in the national movement fighting against

the odds created by the autocratic rule of the nizam.from1938,when the

Hyderabad state congress was formed, it fought hand in hand against the Nizam.

their two fold programme, as stated earlier, was to work for the merger of the

state in the prospective free India and to fight against the Nizam’s anti-people’s

policies. The movement for the merger of the Hyderabad state into the union

gained momentum as it was drawing inspiration from the major political events

towards freedom were taking place all over the country outside Nizam’s

dominions. The merger movement was organized under the auspices of a

separate organizing committee. Resources, both men and materials, came in

abundance from outside. The Razakars, so-called volunteers, comparable to the

Nazistorm troupers of Hitler’s Germany were organized under the leadership of

Kasim Razvi with the avowed objects of ‘protecting’ the ‘special status’ of

Muslims as well as the Hindu nobles of the Nizam’s court. The Razakers let

loose a rein of terror all over the state, in particular the Telangana region.

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By 1946 the Communists were leading an armed peasant struggle against

the Nizam. They fought against the Razakars and protected people in the

countryside. The Nizam’s rule almost became non-existent expect in the twin

cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. He was forced to conclude a ‘Stand Still

Agreement’ with the union government,though he did not implement it. It was

by this time known that the Nizam was secretly conspiring to merge the

Hyderabad state with Pakistan. Considering this as a potential threat to the

security of the nation, the Union government launched ‘Operation Polo’, the

Police Action. Without much resistance, forces of the Nizam surrendered on

17th September 1948. With this the Hyderabad State was merged into the Indian

Union.

The Formation of Andhra Province

History of Andhra’s, as seen above had undergone several vicissitudes

under the rule of several dynasties. In the process they were scattered all over

Deccan and lost their identity. Finally the British brought under their control the

coastal Andhra and the Ceded Districts (Rayalaseema region) by the year 1802

AD. The area under the rule of Nizam was called Telangana.

The demand for Andhra province, separating from the Madras Presidency

originated in a seed form at the beginning of the 20th century. During 1903-

1904, young Men’s Literary Association was formed in Guntur. Among its

prominent members mention may be made of Jonnavitthla Gurunatham, Unnava

Lakshminarayana, Nyapati Narayana Rao, G.Sitarama Sastry, Duggirala

Gopalakrishnayya and few others. Gurunatham wrote articles in The Hindu on

the backwardness of the Andhras in the Madras Presidency in the economic,

educational and cultural spheres. In the higher echelons of administration

members of Andhras were much less compared to Tamils. Later on journals like

Desabhimani came forward with the suggestion that Andhras should have a

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separate political status to meet their aspirations and requirements. The

correspondent of Desabhimani, C.Seshagiri Rao,pointed out the importance of

language in the development of a people [Jati] and in binding them with love

and feeling of oneness. The articles in Desabhimani exhorted the other

newspapers, Andhra Patrika and Krishnapatrika to demand a separate State. The

growing freedom struggle due to the strong impetus provided by the

Vandemataram movement and active participation of Andhra leaders in it

further strengthened the sentiment for a separate state. In 1911 the members of

young Men’s Association at Guntur drew a map of united Andhra including

Telugu territories in the Nizam and also the Provinces. They also questioned

that when the people of Bihar were grated a separate state, why not a separate

province be constituted for Andhras?

At this took place 21st Krishna – Guntur district conference at

Nidadavolu. Simultaneous organization of social and literary conferences on the

same occasion and at the same venue was a special feature. It was at this

conference that the idea of separate Andhra took a definite shape when it was

decided to organize an all Andhra conference to discuss the issue thoroughly.

Accordingly the first Andhra Conference was held at Bapatla in 1913 AD.

Konda Venkatappayya was the secretary of the organizing committee along

with other members, Unnava Lakshminarayana and Vinjamuri

Bhavanacharyulu. The resolutions passed at the conference strengthened the

demand for a separate state. It was followed by several district conferences. A

separate committee was constituted under the leadership of Konda

Venkatappayya to visit different places in Andhra to educate and mobilize

people.

A series of conferences were held as a sequel to Bapatla session where

discussions were held and resolutions were passed. Due to the consistent efforts

put up by the Andhra Congress leaders, a separate Andhra Congress committee

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was constituted in 1918 AD. This signaled the first victory of the movement for

a separate state. The next land mark of the movement was the establishment of

Andhra University at Vijayawada in 1926 AD. It is significant that a university

for the first time, was named after a people (Jati). However, the Rayalaseema

region staked claim for the headquarters of the university at Anantapur and

when it was rejected, the Rayalaseema colleges got affiliated to the nearby

Madras University. These incidents led to serious differences between the two

regions of Andhra and Rayalaseema. It caused considerable damage to the cause

of separate Andhra. The defeat of Gadicherla Harisarvottama Rao in the

presidential elections of the Andhra Congress Committee sharpened these

differences. Efforts were made to bridge the differences. Sri Bhag pact was

concluded in 1937 AD between leaders of the two regions. The contents of the

pact are summarized below.

a) Under the auspices of the Andhra University, two centres, one at

Waltair and the other at Anantapur, shall be opened.

b) In the composition of the legislature, all districts shall be provided

equal representation.

c) In the location of the High Court and capital, the choice shall be given

to the Rayalaseema region.

d) In providing irrigation facilities through the river waters of Krishna,

Thungabhadra and Pennar and the construction of anicuts on them,

Rayalaseema should get preferential treatment.

Despite the Sri Bhag Pact, the formation of Andhra province was put off,

as some came to believe, due to munipulations of C. Rajagopalachari, the then

Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency. In the mean time the Second World

War broke out and in 1947 AD India secured independence.

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In November, 1947 Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister, declared the

Union Government’s willingness to reorganize India on linguistic basis and

spoke in favour of separate Andhra. Sequel to Nehru’s declaration a

commission was constituted under the chairmanship of Justice S.K. Dar to look

into matters relating to the formation of new states, delineation of borders and

issues lelating to economy and general administration. The Dar Commission in

its report recommended that for the present no new provinces should be formed.

Further it stated that formation of provinces on linguistic consideration was not

in the larger interest of the nation. There was an uproar on this report. Hence

another committee comprising of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhai Patel and

Pattabhi Sitaramayya (the J.V.P Committee) was constituted in 1949 AD to re-

examine the issue of formation of linguistic state. It recommended

postponement of formation linguistic provinces for some time except in the case

of Andhra, provided Andhra gave up its claim to Madras city.

It was in this background that Potti Sriramulu began his fast unto death

on 19th October 1952 at Madras. The fast continued for quite a long period and

after 58 days Sriramulu passed away on 15th December 1952 and became a

martyr for the long cherished dream of the Andhras. Under the pressure of

chaotic and unruly conditions that followed, Nehru announced the formation of

Andhra province with the undisputed Telugu districts without Madras city.

Justice K.N. Wanchoo was appointed the special officer to report on financial,

administrative and other implications. Finally the Andhra province was formed

with 11 districts and three taluks of Bellary district with Kurnool as capital. The

Congress party formed the government with Tanguturi Prakasam as Chief

Minister and Neelam Sanjivareddy as Deputy Chief Minister. On October 1st

1953 Prime Minister Nehru inaugurated the first ever linguistic state of India.

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Emergence of Andhra Pradesh

Telangana region under the feudal rule of Nizam came to an end in 1948

AD, due to the heroic Telangana peasant struggle which paved the way for the

subsequent ‘Police Action’ by the Union Government in 1948 AD. Major

General J.N. Chowdary was the military governor of the Hyderabad state till

December 1949 AD. In the next year M.A. Vellodi was appointed the Chief

Minister. In December 1953 AD, the Union Government set up a States

Reorganization Commission to consider the question of reorganization of States

Reorganisation Commission to consider the question of reorganization of States

on linguistic basis with Sd. Fazal Ali as Chairman and K.M. Panikkar and

H.V.Kunzru as members. Now the unification of Andhra province and the

Telangana appeared to be a reality dreamed by leaders of both the regions.

Nevertheless there were a few who wanted Telangana to be a separate state.

In the meantime the general elections were held in 1952 AD. The

Congress came to power with the support of its members elected from the

Kannada and Marathi speaking regions. In the Telangana the Congress could

not secure absolute majority as the communists scored resounding victory and

were in a majority. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was sworn in as Chief Minister.

The communists intensified their demand for Visalandhra and in fact started a

newspaper by that name. Even prior to 1947 AD, Puchalapalli Sundarayya, the

leader of the Communist Party, wrote a book called Visalandhra Prajarajyam

(People’s government in Visalandhra) presenting detailed blue print of the

future scenario of the united province highlighting various plans and schemes.

On the other hand, the Congress leaders of Telangna were divided on the

issue. Swami Ramananda Tirtha and Burgula Ramakrishna Rao and others

favoured the formation of Visalandhra whereas K.V. Ranga Reddy, M. Chenna

Reddy and others opposed it. Even the Telangana Regional Congress

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Committee was positive about Visalandhra. They presented their views before

the States Reorganization Commission (SRC) accordingly. The S.R.C.

presented the report in September, 1955 AD. The Commission recommended

the disintegration of Hyderabad state and formation of Visalandhra. It

underlined the benefits of large state comprising of both Andhra and Telangana,

with about 32 million people and considerable rich hinterland, plenty of water

and power resources, mineral wealth and raw materials. It even suggested that

Hyderabad would be highly suitable as the capital.

However, it concluded that there was considerable strength in the

advocacy of separate Telangana state. It recommended that in the next general

elections likely to be held in 1961 AD, if a 2/3 majority of the members in the

new legislature of the Hyderabad state opts for a united state, Visalandhra could

be formed. Until then Telangana should be continued as a separate state.

The advocates of Telangana were elated with the report. But the majority

of people including the Congress and communist legislators expressed their

resentment. The communist legislators declared that they were prepared to

resign to their legislative membership and contest again on the issue of

Visalandhra. In the vote taken in the Hyderabad legislature, of the 174 members

of the House barring the speaker, 147 who participated in the voting, 103 were

in favour of Visalandhra whereas 29 voted for Telangana and 15 members

remained neutral.

Meanwhile the Andhra Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a

resolution favouring the formation of a united Telugu province. Under these

circumstances, the Congress High Command convened a meeting of the

representatives of the two regions in Delhi in February 1956 AD. To dispel the

doubts of Telangana leaders, certain safeguards were provided in the

Gentlemen’s Agreement signed by the leaders of both the regions including the

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Chief Ministers and Presidents of the Pradesh Congress Committees. The

Gentlemen’s Agreement was signed by Bezavada Gopala Reddy, Neelam

Sanjeeva Reddy, Gouthu Lachchnna and Alluri Satyanarayana Raju on behalf of

Andhra region and Burugula Ramakrishna Rao, K.V. Ranga Reddy, Marri

Chenna Reddy and J.V. Narsing Rao on behalf of Telangana. The main

provisions of the agreement are summarized below.

1. The administrative expenditure should be borne proportionately by the

two regions.

2. The educational facilities should be provided exclusively to the students

of Telangana with some exceptions. Further improvements in this regard

should be made.

3. Recruitment to the services shall be done on the basis of population of the

regions.

4. Domicile rules should be made on the basis of residence for a certain

number of years, for example 12 years to assure the prescribed proportion

to the recruitment of service for the Telangana area.

5. Steps will be initiated to constitute a Regional Council for the Telangana

region with a view to ensure its all-round development.

6. The Council shall be a statutory body.

7. The Council of Ministers will consist of members in proportion of 60 to

40 per cent for the Andhra and Telangana regions respectively.

8. If the Chief Minister is from Andhra, the Deputy Chief Minister will be

from Telangana and vice- versa.

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When the demands of the Telangana leaders were met, there were no

major hurdles in the formation of a united state. The new state was christened as

Andhra Pradesh which came into existence on 1st November 1956 AD.

Andhra Pradesh is the fifth largest state in the country today in terms of

population and fourth in the aspect of area in the country. It has an area of 2.75

lakh sq. km. forming 8.37 per cent of the total geographic area of the country.

The state’s population according to the 2011 census, is 8.47 crore which

constitutes 7.86 per cent of the all-India population.

Physical features of Andhra Pradesh

The State is situated in tropical region between the latitudes 130 to 200

North, and the longitudes 770 to 850 East. It is bounded by Bay of Bengal in the

East, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra in the North,

Karnataka in the West, and Tamil Nadu in the South. The State has a long coast

line of 974 km. running from Ichapuram in Srikakulam district in the North to

Sullurpet in Nellore district in the South. There are 13 working ports in the State

including one major port (Visakhapatnam) and two inermedate ports (Kakinada

and Machilipatnam). Visakhapatnam is the only major port between Kolkatta

and Chennai with an excellent natural harbour, whose hinterland stretches into

Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Orissa. The development of Visakhapatnam

port was largely influenced by the massive export of iron ore from Bailadilla in

Chattisgarh to Japan. The ports of Kakinada and Machilipatnam have rich

hinterland comprising coastal Andhra Pradesh producing agricultural

commodities and minerals.

The state is divided into 23 districts for administrative purposes. Starting

from the North-East in a clockwise order, they are Srikakulam, Vizianagaram,

Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam,

Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar, Hyderabad,

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Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal,

Khammam, and Nalgonda districts. It is usual to refer to the region constituted

by the 10 districts of Mahabubnagar, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy Medak,

Nizabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda drawn

from the erstwhile Hyderabad State as the Telangana region. The Southern

plateau districts of Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor are referred to as

Rayalaseema Region or the Ceded districts and the rest of the districts are called

the Coastal Andhra. These areas present considerable regional disparities in

their economic development, the coastal Andhra region obviously being the

most prosperous area and the other two being backward-historically, politically

as well as administratively, as also from the point of economic development.

These three areas are from distinct regions for demarcation and study.

Viewing the state as a whole from the east three distinct physical zones

can be discerned, viz (1) the Coastal Plains (2) the Eastern Ghats and (3) the

Western Peneplains.

The hydro-power potential of the water resources of the state has been

estimated at about 2900 MW. The existing hydro-generation capacity is of the

order of 2660 MW indicating limited scope for further expansion and it is

proposed to tap the balance potential also through the hydro-projects now under

execution.

The total length of navigable waterways in Andhra Pradesh is about 2350

km, which is about on-sixth of the total length of inland water system in the

country. The inland water transport system of the state consists of a navigable

river length of 530 km and navigable canal length of 1820 km. In addition,

about 720 km., of drains in Krishna-Godavari delta are also navigable. The

Buckingham Canal connects Vijayawada and Chennai.

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Climate and Rainfall

Andhra Pradesh receives its rainfall both from the South-West, as well as

the North-East monsoons. The South-West monsoon generally starts from early

June and lasts till about the end of September. The North-East monsoon occurs

from October to December. By virtue of the varying land formations of the

plateau and east coast with the intervening hill ranges, the effects of the

monsoons vary in the different regions. The average annual rainfall ranges from

about 74cm.,in the South to about 200cm.,in the North with considerable

fluctuations. The Rayalaseema regions is a zone of precarious rainfall, annual

average being hardly 69cm. the maximum rainfall is received in this area in the

month of August, September and October. Agriculture is dependent mostly on

the vicissitudes of the monsoon which often fails and this area has long been

known as the ‘stalking ground of famines’.

Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts in Telangana receive the lowest

rainfall of 75cm.followed by Rangareddy {81cm.}.other districts of Telangana

receive as average rainfall of over 95cm. North-East monsoon is least important

in this region being less than the rainfall received in any month during the

South-West monsoon.

The coastal area generally receives the highest average rainfall of about

102cm. the area north of the Godavari receives heavy rainfall of about 100 to

125cm. though the coastal area receives the benefit of both the monsoons, the

Eastern Ghats to some extent act as a barrier for this region to derive the fullest

benefit of the South-West monsoon. The hill ranges also prevent the returning

South-West monsoon winds from reaching the western plateau. The main

incidence of rain in the coastal region occurs in the month of October. The area

is also susceptible to frequent cyclones that generally occur between October

and December.

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The state may be generally described as having a hot summer and a

pleasant winter. The summer months, March to June are fairly hot throughout

the state, may being the hottest month. The maximum and minimum

temperatures are 420C and 100 C respectively. The variation in the maximum

and minimum temperatures keeps increasing as one goes from the coast into the

interior.

The state has a long coastline of about 974 km indicating rich potential

for marine fisheries. With the estuaries, lagoons and backwaters covering nearly

640 km a river system with about 4,480 km in overall length, with tanks and

ponds covering about 10,125 hectares, and reservoirs about 1,11,375 hectares,

there is ample scope for development of inland fisheries.

Forest Wealth

Forests cover an area of 61,99,225 hectares forming 23.2 per cent of the

geographic area of the state. However, according to satellite data on remote

sensing imagery, forest area in the state had declined from 49 thousand sq. km.

during the survey period 1972-75 to 40.4 thousand sq. km. during 1980-82,

indicating deforestation of the order of 17.5 per cent.

The total growing stock representing the forest wealth of the state is

estimated at 200 million cubic meters of wood and 3.85 million tones of

bamboo.

Among the different species of wood, the total stock of teak is estimated

at 25.7 million cubic meters or nearly 13 per cent of the total stock. At the other

end, red sanders accounts for the smallest stock of 0.12 million cubic meters

forming less than 0.1 per cent of the total stock of wood. More than half of the

teak stock is concentrated in East Godavari and Adilabad catchments and nearly

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another quarter in Warangal and Kothagudem catchments. As regards red

sanders, more than three-fourths is in the Nallamala Region.

Bamboo forests are situated in an area of less than 10,000 sq. km. pure

bamboo forests occur in one-fourth of this area, dense in another one-fourth of

the area and in a scattered from in the remaining half of the area. Nearly three-

fifths of the total stock of bamboo is in the East Godavari and Adilabad

catchments.

Geology

The state possesses a variety of geological formations, the oldest being

the Dharwar group of rocks. These rocks are well distributed throughout the

state and possess rich minerals. Horn blends, schists and ferruginous quartzite

are found in parts of Anantapur, Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar and

Adilabad districts. The ranges of Eastern Ghats covering Krishna, West

Godavari, East Godavari, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts are

composed of Khondalites. These rocks possess deposits of manganese, graphite,

bauxite and iron. The peninsular granites cover Chittoor, Anantapur, Kurnool,

Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and

Adilabad districts. The granites are mainly used in masonry constructions. The

purna formations are sedimentary rocks younger than Dharwar and peninsular

granites. They are mainly composed of limestone and hales and they occupy the

major part of Kurnool and Kadapa districts and parts of Mahabubnagar,

Nalgonda, Guntur, Ranga Reddy, Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar, and

Adilabad districts. Asbestos, barites and steatite occur in these formations. The

Gondwana formations occur in the Godavari valley. The coal deposits of

Singareni Collieries occur in this formation. The Deccan trap is the next

geological formation. It starts from East Godavari and passes through

Telangana. The rock is used in grinding and crushing stones.

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Andhra Pradesh is the second largest storehouse of mineral resources in

India. A total of 48 mineral are located with vast explored resources of coal,

limestone, bauxite, barites, mica, beach sands, granite, limestone slabs etc and

good resources of oil and natural gas, manganese, asbestos, iron ore, ball clay,

fireclay, gold, diamond, graphite, dolomite, quartz, tungsten, steatite, feldspar,

silica sand, uranium etc.

Rivers in Andhra Pradesh

Almost all the rivers in the state flow from North – West to South-East.

Most of the rivers emanate in the Eastern Ghats and join the Bay of Bengal

expect Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra, Penna, Pranahitha, and few. These

rivers are rainfed and as such water levels are high during the monsoons and

low during summer like sandy patches.

The river Godavari originating at Nasika Trayambakam in the Western

Ghats is the most important one in the state. It is referred to as the ‘Ganga of the

South’, since it is the largest of the rivers in the South India. It flows for about

770 km in Andhra Pradesh, providing water to Adilabad, Nizamabad,

Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam and the Godavari districts. Its tributaries,

Manjeera, Pranahitha, Indravathi, Sabari and Sileru are also of note worthy

nature. Culture Civilisation and the agrarian economy of Andhra Pradesh owe

much to their river. The entire coal-belt in the state is stretched over the banks

of this river which is born to the state.

Krishna is another important river with its origin at Mahablesvarm in the

western Ghats. it covers the states of Maharastra,Karnataka and enters Andhra

Pradesh at Mukhtal in Mahaboobnagar districts. More than 25% of its

1440k.m.s flow is in the state extending over Mahaboobnagar, Kurnool,

Nalgonda, Guntur and Krishna districts. Tungabhadra, Paleru, Koyana, Moosi,

Bheemavaram and Munneru are some of its tributaries. Every drop of water in

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this river is exploited for agriculture power generation and drinking water

facility. Cement factories are in good number on the banks of this river. In fact

the very economy of Andhra Pradesh depends to a large extent on the water

level in the river Krishna as Nagarjuna Sagar, Srisailum, Prakasam barrage are

some important projects drawing water from it.

River Penna originating in Karnataka enters Andhra Pradesh in

Anantapur district. It covers Anantapur, Cuddapah and Nellore districts of its

600k.m.s flow more than 18% is in Andhra Pradesh. Chitravathi, Kunderu,

Nagitesu are some of the important tributaries.

Tungabhadra is the biggest tributary to the river Krishna. This river is a

mix of two rivers Tunga and Bhadra originating in the Western Ghats in

Karnataka it joins the Krishna at Amalapur in Kurnool district. Tungabhadra

Dam on this river is an important one in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh eagerly

awaits the release of water from this dam.

Manjeera, born in Maharastra enters Medak district in Andhra Pradesh

and covers Medak, Nizamabad districts. Nizam Sagar is on this river in

Nizamabad district. Ultimately it joins the river Godavari. Pranahita another

important tributary of the Godavari is a mix of three small rivers, Penganga,

Venganga and Wardha. It hails from the Satpura mountain ranges in Madhya

Pradesh and flows in the district of Adilabad. Finally it joins the Godavari at

Chennur.

The river Moosi is important in Ranga Reddy district. Gandipet reservoir

which meets the drinking water needs of the twin cities is on this river. Its origin

is the Ananthagiri hills and it flows through Hyderabad, enters Nalgonda district

and joins the Krishna at Vadapalli.

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Palair, a small river born in Warangaldistrict flows for about 140 km, in

Nalgonda and Khammam districts and joins the river Krishna near Jaggaiahpet

in the Krishna district. Similarly Munner, another small river hails in Pakala

tank in Warangal district flows through Khammam district flows for about 198

km and joins the Krishna river at Keesara.

Most of the rivers in the state hover around the Godavari and Krishna and

thus the river structure in Andhra Pradesh is very closely linked up with the

Godavari and Krishna. There are many river valley projects under proposed

constructions on these two rivers adding to the water potential in the state.

Vamsadhara is born in the Eastern Ghats at Jaipur, Orissa and flows for

about 96 km in that state. It enters A. P in Srikakulam district and covers 130

km in the state and the joins the Bay of Bengal at Kalingapatnam. Nagavali,

another river originates in Odisha and flows through Vizianagaram and

Srikakulam districts. Its tributaries like Suvarnamukhi, Janjhavati and Vegavati

also are important. It finally conjoins at Kallepalli, Srikakulam district in the

Bay of Bengal.

Machkhand/Muchikunda hails in the hills of Madugula in the

Visakhapatnam district. It flows on the edge of A.P in Odisha. The famous

hydro electric project ‘Duduma’ is on this river. Ultimately it joins the Bay of

Bengal.

Gundlakamma is born in the Nllamal hills in the Kurnool district. It flows

for about 235 kms in Guntur and Prakasam districts and join the Bay of Bengal.

A few rivers and rivulets in the state are not connected with the Godavari

and Krishna Basins, Kolleru, extending over 259 sq kms is between Krishna and

West Godavari districts in a famous fresh water lake. It attracts birds of

different hues from abroad and in famous for its flora and fauna besides fishers.

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Pulicott lake in Nellore district is another important water source though its

water is saltish.

Andhra Pradesh is some times referred to as the state of rivers. The rivers

of different dimensions and the lakes conserve the ground water level and are

the basis for irrigation and power generation. The state in its progressive strides

in agriculture owes much to these water sources. Most of the religious cultural

and commercial centers in the state are on the banks of theses rivers.

Transport Facilities in the State

Transport facilities constitute the nervous system for agriculture, industry,

trade & commerce and tourism. A. P. has different modes of transportation

connecting the state with the other parts of the country and even abroad.

A. Roads: Total road length in the state is about 1.26 lakh kms. National

High ways and State High ways are the vital ones. The State has 4.6

thousand Kms of National High ways, N.H. 4, 5, 7, 9, 18, 43, 63, 205,

214, 219, 221, 222 and 234 connect the state with other states. These

National High ways stretch through the state. State High ways, District

High ways and link roads connect the different parts of the state.

B. Railways: South Central Railway, with its Head Quarters at

Secunderabad is the most important zone in A.P. 3812 Kms of Railway

lines are under the South Central Railway against the total of 5046 Kms.

Southern Railways and South East Railways are also operating in the

state. Chennai – Howrah, Chennai – Mumbai, Chennai – New Delhi,

Secunderabad – New Delhi/ Mumbai are the important lines. The State is

connected with the entire nation through railway. Vijayawada, Kazipet,

Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam are the important Railway Junctions.

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C. Water ways: A.P. is lucky in having about 1000 Kms of Coastal line.

The Godavari and Krishna alones with their canals also serve as water

ways. Water Transportation is cheap especially with regard to bulk goods.

There are ports of Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Narasapur,

Vaolarevu and Kalingapatnam is a natural port supported by ‘Dolphin’s

house’ a hillock. There is Hindusthan Ship Buildings Yard in

Visakhaptnam. Ports and port towns act like hubs of economic activities.

D. Air ways: Air India and Indian Airlines operate International and

National flights. There are Cargo services also to move goods

Shamshabad in Hyderabad is an International air port with global

standards. Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupathi, Rajahmundry,

Cuddapha also have air ports for internal flights. All major cities in India

and abroad are connected with the Shamshabad air port.

Industries in Andhra Pradesh.

Jute industry in A.P. is in the second place at the all India level. The first

Jute factory was established in 1905 at Eluru in West Godavari district. It is

concentrated in the districts of Vijayanagaram, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam,

Guntur and West Godavari as raw jute is available in these districts.

Sugar Industry in A.P. dates back to 1930’s with the establishment of

factories at Bobbili and Seethanagaram in Vijayanagaram districts by the Raja

of Bobbili. Over the years it has spread to Nizamabad, West Godavari, East

Godavari, Krishna, Visakhapatnam, Kurnool, Khammam, Cuddapah, Chittoor,

Medak, Srikakulam districts. Most of the factories are in the Co-operative

sector. Nizam Sugar Factory at Bodan of Nizamabad district is dominant than

the rest of the factories in the state, but it was privatized in 2004 under the

implementation of L.P.G. policies.

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Textile Industry in the State is concentrated in Chittoor, Ananthapur,

Kurnool, Rangareddy, Adilabad, Warangal, East and West Godavari districts.

The first spinning mill was established in 1915 in the East Godavari district.

While the first weaving mill in Anathapur district in 1921.

Cement is an important component of the construction sector as well as

infrastructure facilities. Cement industry in the state was established in the late

1930’s – ACC in Vijayawada and Krishna cement factory in Guntur district.

Over the years the industry has expanded to Nalgonda, Adilabad, Cuddapah,

Kurnool besides Krishna and Guntur districts, with the increase in demand

factories and output in the industry has been increasing. Availability of raw

material is the basic factor for the contribution in the Krishna basin mostly.

Paper industry is also closely linked to the availability of raw materials,

Sirpur Paper Mills at Kagaznagar of Adilabad district, Andhra Paper Mills at

Rajahmundry of East Godavari district, Rayalaseema Paper Mills at (Adoni,

Kurnool dist) and Bhadrachalam Paper Boards (Bhadrachalam, Khammam dist)

are the major paper mills are in good number extending over Khammam,

Cuddapah, Srikakulam, Medak, East Godavari, Nellore and Krishna districts.

Straw Board and Plywood units are in a few centers.

Chemical fertilizers to give a boost to the green revolution are being

produced in the state. These units play a vital role in the state as A.P. is an

agrarian state to a large extent, Fertilizer Corporation of India (FCI) at

Ramangundam of Karimnagar district. Coramandal Fertilizers (Visakhapatnam)

Godavari Fertilizers (East Godavari) Hyderabad Chemicals and Fertilizers

(Hyd) are some of the important units.

Hyderabad is centrally located in the country and as such the Central

Government over the years has preferred to locate public sector units in the

state. H.M.T., B.H.E.L., E.C.I.L., H.C.L., I.D.P.L., are some of the Central

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Government Units in Hyderabad. Hindusthan Ship Yard, B.H.P.V., Hindusthan

Zinc Ltd, Steel plant and Dredging Corporation of India are located in

Visakhapatnam. Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam alone account for Public Sector

Units under Central Government. Under the state government are located a few

units like Alwin Metal works in Hyderabad.

The state has a good number of cottage and small scale units spread over

different districts. Nirmal and Kondapalli are famous for toys. Gadwal,

Dharmavaram, Siricilla, Uppada and Guntur have their mark in sarees. Carpets,

Bangles, Musical instruments, Silk Garments, Agarbathis, Rold Gold jewelries

are produced in some parts of the state. Agro based units are in good number in

different districts.

Power Generation

Energy in the form of electricity is vital for economic development.

Domestic consumption and industrialization need more and more electricity

with the increasing population. Of late, Andhra Pradesh has slipped into power

deficient state though it was a surplus state a few years ago.

Hydro electricity is produced with water by operating turbans utilizing

the water stored in the projects. It is cheap and renewable. More over the state

has good number of rivers on which dams are constructed. The only problem is

shortage of water during summer as most of the rivers are rain fed.

Machkhand Hydro Electric generation has started since 1955 on the river

Machkhand. It is a joint venture between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and the

power is shared In 70:30 ratios. Srikakulam, Vizayanagaram, Visakhapatnam,

East and West Godavari districts, Krishna and Guntur districts receive power

from this centre.

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Tungabhadra hydro electric project generates power which is shared by

the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It started to produce power from

1957, power produced there is supplied to Cuddapha, Kurnool, Anantapur and

Chittoor.

Nizam Sagar Hydro Electric Project is on the river Manjeera. It was

started during the Nizam region and power has been produced since 1936. Twin

cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad receive electricity from this project.

Upper Sileru project is on the river Sileru. Cost of production of

electricity per unit is the lowest from this project. Electricity from this project is

made available to Visakhapatnam and the adjoining areas.

Lower Sileru project is also on the river Sileru in the Bhadrachelam

Taluk. Natural water fall of 198 meters at the point where Tadikaragu joins

Sileru is taken for the construction of the project.

Srisailam project is on the river Krishna in Kurnool district. It is one of

the most important hydro power generating unit in Andhra Pradesh.

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is one of the largest dams in the country. It is on

the river Krishna providing water to many districts in the state. As it is multi

purpose project electricity is also generated. It was inaugurated and dedicated to

the nation by the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1955.

Coal deposits are abundant in the state. So the production of Thermal

power to meet the shortage in the power sector is important in the state. As the

rivers in Andhra Pradesh are rainfed Thermal Power Generation is imperative.

S.C.C.L Kothagudem provides coal for Thermal Power and the coal deposits

may last for more than 150 years

Vijayawada Thermal Power Station (1974); Kothagudam Thermal Power

Station in Khammam district (1966); Nellore Thermal Powert Station (1950);

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Husseninsagar Thermal Power Station in Secunderabad (1923) and the National

Thermal Power corporation at Ramagundam (1983) are important units in the

state. They generate power to meet the deficiency in Hydro Power requirements

in the state.

Andhra Pradesh Government has been seriously Planning to encourage

Solar Power Generation recently. It provides incentives to popularize Solar

Power so as to overcome the Power shortage in the years to come.

Special features of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh was the first state to be constituted on linguistic basis in

1956 by combining the Telugu speaking districts of coastal Andhra and

Rayalaseema and the Telangana from the Nizam’s Hyderabad state. These

regions have different natural resources, geographical conditions, historical

legacies and institutional arrangements. Dissent in some form, has existed ever

since the integration in 1956 in the Telangana region.

Andhra Pradesh is one of the few states in the country which adopted the

green revolution especially in rice. Irrigation power, selective seeds and other

inputs were given importance in 1960’s and 1970’s. However the benefits

accured to the districts (mostly Coastal) where accured irrigation was available.

Dry land agriculture was neglected. In the recent years the state Govt has

initiated steps under Jalayagnam to convert some of the dry land areas into

irrigated ones.

Development of participative institutions is a remarkable feature in

Andhra Pradesh and emphasis has been laid on rural development community

empowerment and support to women’s groups. Self help women groups, water

shed committees, School Committees, Rytumitra groups, Vana Samrakshna

samithis and the like involve the beneficiaries Andhra Pradesh has made

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spectacular progress in Teachnical education, Engineering and Medicine,

Mathematics and Science are focused more in the colleges to improve the

standards of the students. Many students from Andhra Pradesh are successful in

getting admissions in IITS, BITs and reputed Engineering colleges along with

Medical colleges in the state and other parts of the country. Professionally

qualified and compotent youth from the state work in other countries including

U.S.A in large number. poverty alleviation programme have been given special

importance in the state. In the 1980’s “Two Rupees kilo rice” supply through

public distribution system was introduced. Velugu or Indira Kranthi Pathakam

aims at improving the assets, capabilities and abilities of the poor. This

programme has improved the lot of the rural women and thus contributed for

the empowerment of women, old age pensions, widow pensions, housing

programmes, distribution of house sites and the like help the poor to a great

extent.

Andhra Pradesh has done well on the demographic fronts. The state

registered fastest reduction in population growth. Women’s self help groups

better administration of the family planning and welfare programmes have

contributed more for population control. In the sex-ratio also the state is

comfortably placed unlike Gujarat, Punjab and the northern states. The very

recent programme “Bangaru Talli” helps to extend support and protection to the

girls in the state.

Many Non-Govt organizations have been working in the state with all

commitment. They focus on areas relating to food, nutrition, health, livelihood

and natural resource Mangement.

Andhra Pradesh has stood for economic reforms since mid 1990’s. It was

referred to as the state at the fore front in India with regard to reforms. Fiscal,

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Governance, and other reforms were introduced to accelerate economic

development.

Andhra Pradesh is still largely dependent on agriculture. No doubt the

share of agriculture in GSDP has techined from 60% in 1950s to 22% in the

recent years. But 60% of the population, still, depends on Agriculture. The state

Govt recognized the importance of agriculture and allocated a large part of

resource to irrigation and power in the 1960,s and 1970’s.But 1980s and 1990s

neglected agriculture as a result of which agrarian distress has taken place.

Episodes of Suicides of framers in the state have become a regular feature.

The state has one of the highest work participation rates in the country. It

has more people in the working age group and thus enjoys “Demographic

dividend”. However the growth of employment in the state in the post-reform-

era has declined. More than 90% of the workers in Andhra Pradesh are in the

unorganized sector. Andhra Pradesh possesses a bounty of natural resources. It

has fertilize land, water, and conducive agro-climatic conditions. It is one of the

largest producers of food grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton, maize, chillies,

tobacco, dairy and poultry products. It is a leading state in several agro based

industries like sugar, edible oil, sea food. Andhra Pradesh has vast and variety

of mineral wealth. Un exploited and under exploited minerals and oil reserves in

the Godavari basin are considerable.

Andhra Pradesh is centre to many manufacturing and service industries.

I.T, bulk drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Agro processing, Mineral based industries,

Textiles Leather goods Gems and Jewelry are a few to mention.

Almost all the important towns and cities in the state are well connected

by Air, Rail, and road. Vishkapatnam and Kakinada are important seaports

besides Krishnapatnam and Gangavaram,Shamshabad air port in Hyderabad is

of world class and the Vishkapatnam airport is also being expanded.

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Region specific features

Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956 as the first linguistic state. Three

regions Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, and Telangana with separate historical

backgrounds were intrigated. Physical and natural endowments, institutional

forms and the nature of governance were also different at the time of formation.

Though all the three were under the Nizam for some time first Coastal Andhra

(1766 AD) and then Rayalaseema (1800 AD) where under the British rule while

Telangana was under the Nizama’s as the Hyderabad Province. Coastal Andhra

and Rayalaseema were declared as Andhra State due to the sacrifice of Sri Potti

Sriramulu in 1953 with Kurnool as capital. Right from 1956 formation of

Andhra Pradesh, there have been voice of separate Telangana and there were

movements for separation during 1969 – 1971. There was a movement for

separate in Andhra in 1972. Last ten years have witnessed Telangana

movements at feverish heat and any moment the state is going to be bifurcated.

Region specific features throw light on the variations on many a front.

Coastal Andhra: There are 9 districts extending over Ichapuram (Srikakulam

district) to Nellore. All these districts are on the coastal line of Bay of Bengal.

They had been under the British rule till 1947 as part of Madras state. Among

the coastal line districts again, there are variations.

Srikakulam district has Odisha to its north, Vijayanagaram district in the

South and West and the Bay of Bengal in the East. Area is 5.8 thousand sq km

and the population is around 27 lakhs. Literacy 62.3 per cent and the rainfall

1086 mm on an average. Vamsadhara, Nagavali are the important rivers.

Manganese, Graphite. Limestone, Quartz and Mica are the minerals available.

Jute, Sugar, oil extraction, Cashew processing are the important industries.

Howrah – Chennai railway line goes through the district N.H. 5 connecting

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Calcutta and Chennai goes through the dist. Places of tourist importance are

Srikakulam, Arasavalli, Kalingapatnam, Mukhalingam and Salihundam.

Vijayanagaram district is 6.5 thousand sq km in area with a population of

23.4 lakhs. Literacy is 59.5 per cent, rainfall is 1161 mm on an average.

Nagavali, Suvarnamukhi, Vegavathi, Jamjhavathi are some important rivers.

Groundnut, Jute, Sugarcane, Paddy, Ragi are the important crops with Ferro

Manganese, Sugar and Jute industries. Places of tourists importance are Forts at

Bobbli, Vijayanagaram, Borra caves, Ramatirthalu. It is a Railway Junction

connecting Odisha and Howrah with Andhra Pradesh.

Visakhapatnam has 42.7 lakh population spread over 11.2 thousand sq

km. Literacy is 67.7 per cent. Visakhapatnam city is a Muncipal Corporation.

N.H. 5 goes through the district. Sarada, Tandava, Gostami, Varaha are the

important rivers. Rainfall is 1085 mm. Paddy, Ragi, Groundnut, Sugarcane, Jute

are some of the important crops. Manganese, Graphite, iron ore, Bauxite are

important minerals available. Visakhapatnam and the surrounding areas are

have a number of industries like Iron and Steel, Sugar, Jiggery, Ship building,

Fertilizers, Oil refinery and machine making. The port of Visakhapatnam is of

National importance. The city has an air port. Places of tourists importance are

Visakha city, industrial centers, beach, ship building yard port and the like. The

famous Araku Valley is a centre of attraction with the hills and greenery. Borra

Caves, Bhimili, Simhachalam temple, Anantagiri are other places. Urban

Visakha is next to twin cities in industrial development and tourist attraction.

Together these three districts are called Uttarandhra. They are far from

the state capital as they were parts of composite Madras state before

independence. Their proximity to Odisha and Chattisgar lag them behind in

development. These three districts are backward on many counts of course,

urban Visakha is an exception.

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East Godavari district with its head quarters at Kakinada is 10.8 thousand

sq km with 51.5 lakh population. Literacy is 71.35 per cent and rainfall is 1160

mm. The Godavari, Pampa are the important rivers with irrigation potential to a

large extent. Paddy, Sugarcane, Coconut, Mango, Banana and the like are the

important crops. Graphite, Bauxite, iron ore are the important minerals

available. Annavaram, Draksharamam, Dhowaleswaram, Kakinada are the

places of tourist interest. The district has rail and road connectivity. Water ways

are also there and coastal prosperity is evident in this district.

West Godavari district with its head quarters at Eluru is the Granary of

A.P. Its area is 7.7 thousand sq km and the population is 39.3 lakhs, rainfall is

1076 mm. Paddy, Tobacco, Chillies, Sugarcane and Coconut are the important

crops. Graphite, Limestone, Mica, Chromate are the important minerals. Sugar,

Jute, Fertilizers, Textiles are the main industries. Dwaraka Tirumala,

Antharvedi, Tanuku are the places of tourism. One can see vast paddy fields

although and coconut groves in the district.

Krishna district with its head quarters at Machilipatnam is 8.7 thousand

sq km in area with 45.3 lakhs population. It is one of the prosperous districts of

A.P. Rainfall is 1027 mm. Literacy is 74.4 per cent. N.H. 5 and N.H. 9 go

through this district. Vijayawada Railway Junction is one of the largest in Asia

connecting North, South, East and the West. Paddy, Pulses, Sugarcane,

Tobacco, Mango are important crops. Sugar, Cement and other are the

important industries. It is the hub of the film industry, commercial and political

activities in the state. Places of tourist interest are Durga Temple,

Machilipatnam, Prakasam barrage, Kuchipudi and the like. Krishna, Budameru

and Tammileru are the important rivers.

Guntur district has 48.9 lakhs population, in an area of 11.4 thousand sq

km, literacy is 68 per cent and rainfall on an average is 890 mm. N.H. 5 goes

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through the district, and there is rail way connectivity. Krishna, Gundlakamma

and Naguleru are the important rivers. Paddy, Pulses, Tobacco, are the crops of

importance. Textiles, Jute, Cement, Fertilizers, and tanneries are the industries

of importance. Amaravathi, Kotappa Konda, Mangalagiri, Nagarjuna Sagar,

Ettipothala water falls Bapatla Beach are worth seeing by the tourists.

Prakasam district extends over 17.6 thousand sq km. with a population of

17.12 lakhs. Literacy is 70.2 per cent and the average rainfall is 1153 mm.

Gundlakamma, Paleru, Munneru are the important rivers. Granite, Copper,

Stones for flooring are the minerals. Textiles, tobacco, Tanneries, Granite

industries are there in the district. Paddy, Pulses, Cotton, Tobacco, Jute and the

Groundnut are important crops. Chirala, Singarayakonda, Thripurantakam are

important places of tourism.

Potti Sriramulu Nellore district is 13.1 thousand sq km. in area with a

population of 29.7 Lakhs. Literacy is 69.15 per cent and the rainfall on an

average is 981 mm. N.H. 5 goes through the district and rail way connectivity is

also there. Copper, Iron ore and Mica are the minerals. Suvarnamukhi,

Kandeleru, Kalangi, Paleru are some important rivers and Paddy, Cotton,

Castor, Chillies and Ragi are the major crops. Venkatagiri, (Sarees) Pulicott

lake, Mypadu beach, Sriharikota, are places of tourism.

Among the Coastal districts Uttar Andhra districts have less than 68 per

cent literacy where as the other six districts have more than 69 per cent literacy

rates. There are variations in irrigation facilities, forest and minerals

endowments crop patterns are also different. However, all these districts are on

the coastal line at some point or other.

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Rayalaseema Region

Rayalaseema was separately ceded by the Nizam to the Britishers in 1800

AD. At the time of the formation of Andhra State in 1953 it was merged on the

basis of “Sribagh Agreement” . There are 4 districts in this region.

Ananthapur district is 19.1 thousand sq km. with a population of 40.8

lakhs. Literacy is 64.3 per cent and the rainfall is scanty at 381 mm only.

Penna, Suvarnamukhi, Chitravathi, Kunderu are the rivers of importance.

Groundnut, Paddy and Mulberry (Sericulture), are the main crops. Iron ore,

Limestone, Diamonds and Gold are the important minerals available. Lepakshi,

Kadhiri, Puttaparthi and Penugonda are places of tourism. Land is mostly rocky

and the rainfall is low.

Chittor district is 15.15 thousand sq km, with a population of 41.7 lakhs.

Literacy is 72.4 per cent and the rainfall is 908 mm on an average. N. H. 4

passes through the district and there is railway connectivity the district is

bordered by Karnataka on the west Paddy, Sugarcane, groundnut and Pulses are

important crops. Iron ore, Mica, raw gold, Granite and lime stone are some

important minerals. Sugar, jaggery, textiles and metal industries are there

Suvarnamuki, Bahuda, Paleru, Kalyani are important rivers God of the seven

hills (Tirupati), Horsely hills, Kalahasti, Chandragiri fort, Kanipakam and

Arogyavaram are tourist places. Pilgrims visit Tirupati in large numbers from

all over India through out the year.

Y.S.R. Cuddapah district is named after Y.S.Raja Sekhara Reddy, late

Chief Minister of the state. Its arera is 15.4 sq km and population is 28.84 lakhs,

literacy is 68.88 per cent and the average rainfall is 695 mm. The district has

railway line connecting Bangalore and Bombay. Penna, Nagileru, Chitravathi

and Kundu are important rivers. Limestone, Iron ore, flooring stones and other

minerals are available. Groundnut, Paddy, Maize, Cotton, Chilies and Onions

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are important crops. Textiles, fruit processing and lime powder are major

industries. Pothuluri Veerabrahamam Matham, Tallapaka, Pushpagiri and

Vontimitta are places of tourism. It has received more focus during the regime

of Y.S.R as C.M.

Kurnool district extends over 17.6 thousand sq km, population is 40.46

lakhs. Rainfall is 630 mm, which is low. The district has railway connectivity,

(recent intercity express train between Kurnool and Secundrabad) and N.H. 7

passes through the district. Krishna, Thunga Badhra, Handri, Kunduru and

Nagileru are important rivers. The district has deposits of minerals including

Limestone. Paddy, Maize, Pulses, Groundnut, Cotton and Onions are important

crops. Textiles, Paper, Cement and Wool industries are there. Manthralayam,

Srisailam, Mahanoli, Ahobilam and Srisailam project are places of tourism.

When compared to Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema districts lag behind in

many aspects. Land in their regions is not quite suitable for cultivation. Rainfall

is scanty and irrigation facilities are limited. Groundnut is a major crop besides

onions. Literacy levels are also low.

Telangana Region

Ten districts are in the Telangana region. They were in the Hyderabad

province, before 1956 and with the formation of A.P. they have become part of

the state. Ever since the formation of A.P. there has been dissent in some form

or other and the demand for separate Telangana has picked up movement during

the last few years.

Rangareddy district extends over 7.5 thousand sq km with Hyderabad as

its head quarters, population is 53.9 lakhs. It surrounds the state capital with

high density (707) of population. Literacy is 78 per cent and the rainfall is 610

mm. National Highways and railways to different parts of the country bring the

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connectivity. International airport at Shamshabad is of global standards.

Textiles, cigarettes, drugs, electric equipments, machine tools are the important

industries. Service sector and industrial units are important though agriculture is

of little importance in Vikarabad and Chevella areas paddy, maize, and

groundnut are important crops. Astrological observatory at Rangapur,

Kisaraguttu and all the tourist centers in the capital city are attractions to

tourists.

Nalgonda district is in 14.2 thousand sq km with a population of 34.84

lakhs, literacy is 65.05 per cent and the rainfall is 750 mm. N.H. 9 passes

through the district, Krishna, Mosi, Aleru are the important rivers. Limestone is

available in the district. Paddy, Pulses, Oilseeds and Maize are the important

crops. Tanneries, Wool, Jaggery and textile industries are there.

Nagarjunasagar, Bhonagiri, Yadagirigutta and Vadapalli are the tourist

attractions. Nalgonda town is the district head quarters.

Mahaboobnagar district is 18.4 thousand sq km with a population of 40.4

lakhs. Literacy is the lowest in the district at 56 per cent. Rainfall is 1154 mm,

Maize, Paddy and Sugarcane are the important crops. Asbestos, Clay and some

minor minerals are available. Tanneries and fertilizers are important industries.

Gadwal fort, Alampur and Pillalmarri are the places of tourist interest. It has

Karnataka on the western boarder.

Kareemnagar district is 11.8 thousand sq km in area with a population of

36.12 lakhs. Rainfall on an average is 1153 mm and literacy is 64.9 per cent.

Godavari and Maneru are the major rivers in the district. Paddy, Maize,

Groundnut, Pulses and Chillies are the important crops. Iron ore, limestone and

some minor minerals are available. Tanneries and wool industries have some

units. Vemulawada, Dharmapuri, Kaleswaram, Ramagundam, Sriramsagar and

Maneru dam are places of tourism.

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Nizamabad district has Maharastra to the West. Its area is 8 thousand

sq.km, and the population is 25.5 lakhs. Rainfall is 780 mm and the literacy is

62.25 per cent, Godavari and Manjeera are the important rivers, Paddy,

Sugarcane, Pulses, Groundnut and Maize are grown in the district. Jaggery,

Sugar and alcohol are the industries. Nizam Sagar, Nizamabad fort and

Manchipalli reservoir are the tourist centers.

Medak district with its head quarters at Sangareddy, has Karnataka to its

West. Its area is 9.7 thousand sq km and population is 12.5 lakhs and it is very

close to Hyderabad. Rainfall is 969 mm and literacy is 62.5 per cent. Manjeera,

and Kandleru are important rivers. Principal crops in the district are Paddy,

Maize, Sugarcane, Ragi, Chillies and Potatoes. Poultry and weaving are

important. B.H.E.L, Singur reservoir, Icrisat, Zaheerabad are places of tourist

importance.

Khammam district has Odisha and Chattisgadh to the North. Its area is 16

thousand sq km and the population is 28 lakhs. The district has 7.6 lakhs

hectares of forest and 5.6 lakhs S.T population. Chennai - New Delhi,

Secundrabad, Visakhapatnam railway lines go through the district, N.H. 5 also

passes through the district. Godavari, Sabari, Sileru, Kinnerasani, Munneru and

Paleru are the rivers of importance. Iron ore, Coal, Granite and Marbles are the

minerals available in the district. Khammam quilla, N.T.P.C.C. (Paloncha),

Kinnerasani dam Bhuddist Stupa at Nelakondapalli are important places of

tourism. Fertilizers, Coal and Sugar Industries are important in the district.

Warangal district is 12.9 thousand sq km, in area with a population of

35.2 lakhs, literacy is 66.16 per cent and the rainfall is 1049 mm. Kazipet in the

district is an important railway junction connecting North, East, South and

Western parts of the country. The Godavari, Munneru, Kinnerasani, Aleru and

Wyra are important rivers. Paddy, Maize, Chillies, Pulses, Casters and

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Groundnut are the important crops. Textiles and Tanneries are the major

industries. It is next to Hyderabad in the Telanagana region with a university

and National Institute of Technology besides a Medical college of long

standing. Warangal fort, thousand pillars temple, Ramappa, Pakal and Kazipet

Darga are places of tourism.

Adilabad district is 16.1 thousand sq km in area and has 27.4 lakhs

population, 61.5 per cent of literacy. Rainfall is 1045 mm as the district has 7

lakhs hectares of forests. N.H. 7 goes through the district. There is railway

connectivity. The Godavari, Pranahitha, Penganga and Kadem are important

rivers. Cotton, Maize, Paddy and Pulses are mostly cultivated. Edible oil, Paper

and cement industries are significant. Coal, Copper, limestone, Iron ore and

some other minerals are available in the district. Basara (Saraswathi Temple),

Nirmal, Kagaznagar and Kuntala water fall are tourist attractions.

Hyderabad district is 2000 sq km with 40.1 lakhs population and the

literacy is 80.5 per cent. Hyderabad is the district head quarter and the state

capital. Railway lines and National Highways connect the districts with

different parts of the Nation. There is Shamshabad air port with Global

standards. Paddy, Maize, Vegetables and fruits are cultivated. Graphite, Iron ore

and Bauxite are the available minerals. Public sector units like ECIL, BHEL,

IDPL, HMT, HAL are in good number. APSRTC of the state Govt is a major

organization. Nehru zoological park, Birla Mandir, Salarzung museum,

Golkond Quilla, Tankbund, Charminar, Gandipeta, Ramoji film city are of

tourist importance. Hyderabad is a hub of software units and centre for business

activity attracting business not only from other parts of the country but also

from other countries commercial tourism goes hand in hand with general

tourism in this city.

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The three regions of Andhra Pradesh, as examined so far, have distinct

and unique features. Historical background are different. Physical and natural

endowments are different. Locational advantages vary. Social religious and

cultural features vary with the basics remaining the same. The only binding

thread is language. Ever since the integration of the regions into A.P. the

clamour for separate Telangana started. It has assumed the form of Telangana

movement over the years and the bifurcation of A.P by forming a separate

Telangana state (29th in India) was announced by the Government of India in

February 2014. This is a historical decision satisfying the aspirations of the

people in Telangana.

Sum-up:

Profiles of the state, its regions and the districts are elaborated in this

chapter. Derivation of the word “Andhra”, existence of the people in the early

years, writings of the foreign tourists, early rulers like Satavahans’s and

Kakatiya’s, Vijayanagara Kingdom, Bahamani and Muslim rulers, advent of the

British and Andhra under the colonial rule are explained. Handing over of the

Circar districts and the Rayalaseema to the Britishers by the Nizam, Hyderabad

state under the Nizam rule, social movements, formation of Hyderabad state and

Andhra Province in 1953 under the Sribagh Pact and the ultimat integration of

Andhra Pradesh in 1956 under the Gentle Man Agreement are all depicted in

detail in this chapter. Physical features of Andhra Pradesh such as climate,

rainfall, forests, minerals, geological variations, rives and the industries, power

generation, irrigation sources and the like are presented. The diversities of the

three regions are pointed out and this chapter serves as the base for human

activities which lead to Human Development and to identify the disparities

there in. The fact that the demand for separation of Telangana in view of the

disparities has started on the very first day of the formation of Andhra Pradesh

has also been stated here in this chapter.

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Reference:

1. Prof, L.Mukherjee, ‘History of India’ Optional Publishers, Mandal Brothers & Co

Ltd, Kolkotta, 1946.

2. Ancient and Medieval India, R.S. Publishers Honse, 20 Mahatma Gandhi Marg,

Allahabad, 1979.

3. ‘Andhra Desha Charithra’ ‘Bhugola Sarvaswam’ by Andhra Rachayitala Sangham,

Hyderabad, 1971.

4. ‘Koti Reddy’, A.V. ‘Adhunikaandhra Desha Charithra’ Telugu Akademi, Hyderabad,

1987.

5. Directorate of Economic and Statistics, Govt of A.P. 2012

6. ‘Hand Books of Annual Volumes of the Districts of A.P’ districts planning

departments: A.P

7. Fifty Years of Andhra Pradesh, 1956 – 2006, editated by R.S. Rao, V. Hanumantha

Rao and N. Venugopal ‘Centre for documentation Research and Communication,

Hyderabad, 2006

8. ‘Human Development Report – 2007, Andhra Pradesh’, Published by Centre for

Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad May 2008.