Andhra Pradesh is pitching for the establishment of the National Academy of Correctional Administration in the state.

The state government will put forth this proposal to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Southern Zonal Council meeting, scheduled to be held in temple-town Tirupati on March 4, authoritative sources said.

As the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy is located in Hyderabad, the AP government wants the National Academy of Correctional Administration (NACA) established in the state.

"The proposed academy will cater to the needs of middle and senior level prison administrators in terms of training, policy formulation and overall development of prison administration," a senior bureaucrat in the state Home Department said.

This would also bring in uniformity and standardise norms and procedures related to prison administration, the official said.

"The prestigious Academy will be established in AP," he added.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who reviewed the preparedness for the Southern Zonal Council meeting, asked the state officials to prepare a detailed proposal for presenting to the Centre.

The catch, however, is that neighbouring Telangana is also said to be pitching for the same academy.

Telangana is said to have already identified required land for the Academy while the AP government is yet to do so.

"We are in the process of zeroing in on a suitable location for the Academy and the land required will also be earmarked soon," the bureaucrat here said.

The AP government would submit a comprehensive proposal to the Centre for approval, he added.

The Chief Minister is expected to personally take up the issue with the Union Home Minister during the Southern Zonal Council meeting.