Creation of a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital and keeping Andhra Pradesh united with constitutional and statutory measures for empowerment of the Telangana region are among the six options recommended by the Justice Srikrishna Committee.

The report of the five-member committee headed by former Supreme Court judge that gave its recommendations after about 11 months of consultation process in the state was released by the Home Ministry today, a week after it received it.

The two-volume 461-page report has also suggested maintaining status quo with a rider that it is the least favoured option.

In the fourth option, for which political parties spearheaded by TRS have been campaigning, the Committee suggests bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into two units -- Telangana and Seemandhra -- as per existing boundaries.

Telangana will have Hyderabad as capital, while Seemandhra, comprising Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions, will have a new capital.

Following are the options and explanation given by the committee:

1. Maintaining Status Quo: The committee said it is of the unanimous view that it would not be a practical approach to simply maintain the status quo in respect of the situation.

"Some intervention is definitely required and though maintaining the existing status quo is an option it is favoured the least," the panel says.

2. Bifurcation of the state into Seemandhra and Telangana; with Hyderabad as a Union Territory and the two states developing their own capitals in due course:

"There is a definite likelihood of serious backlashes in Telangana region and on overall consideration, the Committee found this option was also not practicable."

3. Bifurcation of the state into Rayala-Telangana and Coastal Andhra Regions with Hyderabad being an integral part of Rayala-Telangana:

"This scenario is not likely to be accepted either by the pro-Telangana or by the pro-United Andhra protagonists.

While this option may have economic justification, the committee believes that this option may not offer a resolution which would be acceptable to people of all three regions," it says.

4. Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into Seemandhra and Telangana with enlarged Hyderabad Metropolis as a separate Union Territory. This Union Territory will have geographical linkage and contiguity via Nalgonda district in the south-east to Guntur district in coastal Andhra and via Mahaboobnagar district in the south to Kurnool district in Rayalaseema:

"This is likely to receive stiff opposition from Telangana protagonists and it may be difficult to reach a political consensus in making this solution acceptable to all," it says.

Centre wants honourable and practicable solution to Telangana

(PTI) Chidambaram today said the centre wants to find a "just, honourable and practicable solution" to the Telangana statehood demand that has the "widest measure of support among all stakeholders".

Addressing a meeting of leaders of political parties from Andhra Pradesh at which he handed over copies of the Justice B N Srikrishna Committee report, Chidambaram appealed to them to read its recommendations with an "open mind" and give "impartial consideration" to them.

"You will note that I have repeatedly used the phrase 'way forward'. Today in order to reiterate government's intentions to find just, honourable and practicable solutions that has the widest measure of support among all stakeholders," he said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, Congress leaders K S Rao, Uttam Kumar Reddy, CPI-M state secretary D V Raghavalu and party leader J Ranga, PRP leader C Ramachandraiah, Akrabdduin Owaisi and Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri of MIM, K Narayana and G Malesh of CPI attended the meeting.

The Home Minister expressed confidence that the report will generate an "informed and matured" debate on the issue.

He also urged them to give "your most careful, thoughtful and impartial" consideration to the recommendations.

He asked them to read the report with an "open mind" and be prepared to persuade or be persuaded by those hold another point of view.

Chidambaram regretted the boycott of the meeting by TRS, TDP and BJP.

"I deeply regret the stand taken by them. It does scant justice to the valuable work done by Justice Srikrishna Committee. Nevertheless, I propose to send a copy of the report to parties who have chosen to stay away," he said.

"It is Government's sincere hope that the report will generate an informed and matured debate," he said.

Read Telangana report with open mind: PC to leaders

Referring to the joint appeal made by the January 5 meeting to people of Andhra Pradesh to maintain peace and calm, Chidambaram said it had a salutary effect.

"It is necessary that peace, harmony and law and order should be maintained in the state. I would request you to join me at the end of this meeting to make an appeal similar to the appeal we made last year," he said.

The Home Minister said it is natural that the parties will require time to read the report and hold consultations within their organisations.

Asking them to participate in today's meeting, he said if the parties agreed, then he would suggest they meet again at a convenient date later this month.

TEXT OF CHIDAMBARAM'S SPEECH

Following is the text of Home Minister P Chidambaram' s opening remarks at the meeting of political parties in Andhra Pradesh to discuss the Srikrishna Committee report on Telangana:

"I am happy to welcome you to the second meeting of the eight recognised political parties of Andhra Pradesh. May I begin by wishing you and the people of Andhra Pradesh a very happy New Year and a very happy Sankaranthi.

You will recall that on January 5, 2010 we held our first meeting. That meeting was premised on the belief that parliamentary democracy ? and the debate, discussion and consultation that are fostered in a parliamentary democracy ? has the capacity to find solutions to all issues and problems.

I had offered to institute a mechanism in order to hold wide ranging consultations on the issue of Telangana with all political parties and groups in Andhra Pradesh. After getting the benefit of your views, Government constituted a Committee under the chairmanship of Justice Srikrishna with very broad terms of reference. The Justice Srikrishna Committee submitted its report to the Government on December 30, 2010.

I am happy to share with each of the eight political parties a copy of the report (in two volumes). I note that some political parties invited to this meeting have chosen not to attend the meeting. I deeply regret the stand taken by them.It does scant justice to the valuable work done by the Justice Srikrishna Committee and the report submitted by the Committee.

Nevertheless, I propose to send a copy of the report to the parties that have chosen to stay away. As I speak, the report is being uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs and will be available to the public immediately.

I am also pleased to give you a summary of the report.

The summary lists the ?Optimum Solutions/Options? suggested by the Justice Srikrishna Committee and their recommendations. I urge you to give your most careful, thoughtful and impartial consideration to the report and the recommendations. In particular, I would urge you to read the report and the recommendations with an open mind and be prepared to persuade, and to be persuaded by, people who hold another point of view.

It is Government?s sincere hope that the report will generate an informed and mature debate.

Our discussions on January 5, 2010 showed the way forward: fact-finding, study, analysis, options and recommendations. It is Government?s hope that our discussions today will also show the further way forward. I am sure that, besides the political parties, the people of Andhra Pradesh ? both individuals and groups ? would also make valuable suggestions that will show the way forward."