Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada, April 12: Amidst high drama on Monday, Telugu Desam Party Vijayawada urban president Vallabhaneni Vamsimohan withdrew his decision to resign from the TDP post at the party meeting, yielding to the pressure from TDP workers.

Talking to newsmen here, Vamsimohan said he would quit the post if the district TDP president Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao would not apologise to Rajya Sabha member Nandamuri Harikrishna for insulting the latter by not informing him about the inauguration of NTR Complex at Challapalli during his visit to Krishna district.

Hyderabad, April 12: On lines of the National Innovation Council (NIC), chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday approved the proposal for setting up a State Innovation Council (SIC) for evolving new processes and structures to enhance delivery of services and improve performance of the state government.

The council will focus its efforts on evolving sectors key to growth of the state through new methods of innovation, using domestic resources whenever possible.

Hyderabad, April 12: The gulf between the Nara and Nandamuri families, instead of closing, widened further today with Telugu Desam Vijayawada Urban committee president Vallabhaneni Vamsimohan, a staunch follower of Harikrishna, resigning from the party post.

In a resolve to tighten his grip over the party reins and protect his loyalists, party president N Chandrababu Naidu last night rejected the resignation submitted by Krishna district TDP president Devineni Umamaheswara Rao who does not see eye to eye with Vamsi and Kodali nani, another close follower of Harikrishna and NTR Jr.

Hyderabad, April 12: Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGenco), the state-run electricity generation company, is gearing up to add 3,750 mw power generating capacity in the 12th plan.

APGENCO, which is the third largest power generating utility in the country, said it would invest about Rs 18,750 crore to set up the additional power generation capacity over the next five years.

Vishakapatnam, April 12: Gopal Behara, who was believed to be trapped alive in an under-construction tunnel at Gandhigram near Sagar Durga hill, here, was found dead by rescue team on Monday evening.

The police have sent the partially decomposed body for post mortem.

On Thursday last at around 11.45 pm, Behara, a tipper driver of Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) had gone inside the tunnel for loading debris. Suddenly, the roof and wall of the tunnel caved in. Behara along with the tipper were buried under the debris including a huge boulder weighing 3,000 tonnes.

Hyderabad, April 12: The police are gearing up to tackle any problem during festivals of Sriram Navami on Tuesday and Hanuman Jayanthi, a week later.

Additional forces are being deployed with history-sheeters and communal elements to be kept in check to prevent any untoward incident.

Trouble had broken out last year over erection of religious flags and curfew had to be clamped in several parts, particularly sensitive parts in the Old City, as riots broke out.

Hyderabad, April 12: After increasing the maximum limit of gratuity for its employees from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 8 lakh, the state government on Monday enhanced the house rent allowance (HRA) to 14.5 per cent and 12 per cent at places where the HRA is admissible at 12.5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively at present. The enhanced rates of HRA will come into force with effect from April 1.

Following the agitations by the government employees, the state government has reached into an agreement with the JAC of Employees, Teachers, Workers and Pensioners for enhancing the house rent allowance.

Hyderabad, April 12: Handlooms and textiles minister P Shankar Rao on Monday threatened to file defamation and criminal cases against newspapers for reporting his statement at Bobbili last week that it was at Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s behest that he move a case against Jagan Mohan Reddy in the AP High Court.

Spewing venom at the media, particularly The New Indian Express, he vehemently denied saying that he had been instigated by Sonia Gandhi.

He said he was not a leader of such stature that Sonia Gandhi would require such services from him.

Hyderabad, April 12: Minister for Handlooms and Textiles P Shankar Rao has said he will resign from the cabinet if the government fails to protect the interests of weavers.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, the minister said the government had issued necessary orders a few months back to nine government departments to place orders for their cloth requirement with APCO. It also made budgetary allocation to these departments for the purpose.

Tirupati, April 12: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanms today clarified that no orders were issued declaring the area around the TTD administrative building on the KT road as prohibited area.A press release issued by the TTD said it was only a proposal which was discussed with the employees’ union eliciting their opinion on it.

A final decision would be taken on the proposal only after the urban SP, Tirupati holds discussions with political parties. As such any demonstration or protest on the issue is premature, the release added.

–Agencies

Hyderabad, April 12: For M Srinivasa Rao, a city-based sculptor, work is worship. “When you do something that you love, nothing seems difficult,” says the 29-year-old sculptor.

Born in Prakasam district, Rao was always fascinated by the intricate patterns and carvings in ancient temples and the unique artistic medium of creating sculptural artefacts.

“I cannot zero in on any particular period in my life which spurred me on to become a sculptor. The transition must have happened without any conscious effort,” says Rao.

Kadapa, April 12: Badvel police on Monday seized Rs 27.90 lakh from a car at the PP Kunta checkpost in Kadapa district. Badvel CI Vusalaiah and his staff found the cash in a suitcase in a Maruti Swift coming from Nellore.

Bhadrachalam, April 12: The stage has been set for the divine wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita in the temple town on Tuesday.

Pushkara Pattabhishekam to be held once in 12 years, will be performed on April 13.

Over 1.5 lakh devotees are likely to witness the celestial fete. Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and governor ESL Narasimhan will visit Bhadrachalam to witness Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam and Pushkara Pattabhishekam.

Wide screens have been set up at Kalyana Mandapam to enable more number of devotees to witness the celestial wedding.

Hyderabad, April 12: A village revenue officer (VRO) from Medak district was caught on Monday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths accepting bribe.

ACB sleuths laid a trap and caught the VRO M Lingamaiah of Ch Kondapur village in Medak district on Monday evening when he took Rs 3,000 bribe from a person for doing an official favour, an official release said.

Lingamaiah was arrested and would be produced before a special court for ACB cases in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad, April 11: At the launch of Down The Road, one of the authors, Kunal Dhabalia Bali had a tetea- tete with Ahmed Faiyaz, editor of Down The Road.

This was followed by a book reading session by Sandeep and Dipti, actors from the Sutradhar Theatre group.

“This (book) is not a collection of clinched college love stories. On the contrary, this book takes the reader down the road of nostalgia through some campus-based tales of politics in college, pranks played by friends, having a crush on one’s teacher and so on,” said Ahmed Faiyaz, adding the narrative is infused with novelty.

Hyderabad, April 11: Come summer and Disney Channel promises hearty laughs, light-hearted fun and some heartwarming moments for the entire family with the premiere of its brand new family sitcom “Best of Luck Nikki”.

Whether you have been a teenager straddled wi th babysitting a kid, or an overwhelmed mom trying to make sense of teenage troubles and baby blues, or an over-worked dad trying to balance work and home, here is a show that will have you in splits while reminding you about the trials and joys of having a new baby in the house.

Bhadrachalam, April 11: Over 10,000 devotees from various parts of the country who reached the temple town to witness Sitarama Kalyanam and Puskarapattabhisekam to be held on April 12 and 13 are suffering due to lack of accommodation.

The temple authorities have utterly failed in keeping their word of improving accommodation in Bhadrachalam, devotees said.

This year Sitarama Kalyanam falls together with Puskarapattabhisekam, an event that occurs once in 12 years.

The officials had earlier announced that arrangements were being made to provide accommodation to around 15,000 pilgrims.

Hyderabad, April 11: As the temperature shoots up, shorts tend to get shorter! From college students to fashionistas -everybody is adopting it as their style mantra to beat the summer heat.

Let’s find out how these little fashion icons can become alter egos for college students through the sweltering heat of summer.

Many students are opting to wear sleeveless kurtas in bright hues, shorts and capris.

Hyderabad, April 11: The Parents Teachers Association of the International School, Shaikpet on Sunday unanimously decided to not pay their childrens’ fees till the school rolls back its 10 per cent hike in the school fees that it implemented recently.

Around 400 parents held a general body meeting and reached this decision despite a word given by the chairman of the school, Dr. Kakarla Subbarao, that there will be no fee hike for the next two years.

Hyderabad, April 11: In the swamplands of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, lives one of India’s most amazing creatures, the great one-horned rhino.

Watch the fascinating life of the animals in Kaziranga on Discovery on April 13 at 8 pm.

Kaziranga is a remarkable success story. Over 1,100 Rhinos live at Kaziranga, alongwith herds of wild elephants, Buffalo and Deer, which form the main prey for the Tigers.

Hyderabad, April 11: As many as 183 inmates of various prisons across the state including Cherlapalli central prison appeared in the eligibility test (ET) conducted by the Dr BR Ambedkar Open University on Sunday.

At least 50 inmates of Cherlapalli prison took part in the exams to get admission into BA, BCom and BSc and other diploma courses for 2011-12.

BRAOU’s eligibility test today went off peacefully without any untoward incidents. 58,075 candidates out of total 60,800 registered appeared for the entrance test.

Vishakapatnam, April 11: Monday to Saturday, Hari, Swaroop, Ravi, Yagadish, Siva, Mani, Vidya Sri, Shalini, Manoj and Naga are your regular campus dudes participating in campus capers.

On Sunday, as they head out to the old age home run by Nirmal Hriday here, they are a transformed lot.

These 10 are representatives of an increasing breed of students who combine career purpose with social responsibility.

Hyderabad, April 11: The top brass of the Andhra Pradesh police department were in for a rude shock after the state government issued orders directing the Crime Investigation Department (CID) to re-investigate the case involving senior IPS officer Tejdeep Kaur Menon, accused of thrashing a couple over property disputes.

Hyderabad, April 11: It was North meets South as film personalities from Bollywood and Tollywood rubbed shoulders at the grand TSR Film Awards 2010 show at the Shilpa Kalavedika here on Sunday.

The evening of glitz and glamour brought together the entire who’s who of Tollywood in honouring the best performers of their fraternity.

Vishakapatnam, April 11: With the state Congress leadership busy in firefighting measures to solve the problems and issues cropping up at alarming regularity, its dissidents are making a silent switch-over through back door to YSR Congress of former Kadapa MP Jaganmohan Reddy in north coastal region.