Damage control by Congress pays off

Hyderabad, March 29: Agriculture Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy and Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy expressed regret over the developments that rocked the Assembly on Monday resulting in a scuffle between the Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members on the floor of the House.

AP Assembly passes Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill

Hyderabad, March 28: The Andhra Pradesh Assembly tonight passed a bill to amend the Lokayukta Act for bringing elected representatives of all local bodies as well as government officers of certain ranks under its purview for trying charges of corruption.

Two Maoists surrender in Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam(AP), March 28: Two Maoists including a Divisional Committee Member (DCM) surrendered before the police here today.

P Paramaseswra Rao and B Jagga Rao surrendered before the Superintendent of Police of Visakhapatnam District (Rural).

SP Vineet Brijlal told reporters that DCM member P Paramaseswra Rao alias Sankar, Papanna and Viswnadh Nandu have worked in several dalams including Tanadava, Sabari, Kalimela, Galiknoda for the last 26 years.

Kiran Kumar Reddy plans to visit New Delhi after session

Hyderabad, March 28: N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, is planning to visit New Delhi once the Budget session of the state Assembly ends, to meet the Congress central leadership and resolve pending political issues. Some of the issues on which decisions have to be taken are a reshuffle of the state Cabinet following the Praja Rajyam’s formal merger with the Congress, reshuffling portfolios, filling up nominated posts to several public sector undertakings, and selection of Congress candidates for the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly by-elections.

House sites for rural poor in Medak

Sangareddy, March 28: The district administration is making arrangements to provide space for housing to the rural poor, unable to find vacant place in those areas. Being nearer to the State capital has become a hurdle in providing space for housing in areas like Patancheru and Ramachandrapuram.

Healthcare unit ties up with Vaatsalya Hospitals

Vizianagaram, March 28: Venkata Padma Healthcare has tied up with Vaatsalya Hospitals, Bangalore, to extend quality healthcare to women and children in addition to paediatric surgeries, its Medical Director M. Venkateswara Rao has said. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Dr. Venkateswara Rao said that Venkata Padma Healthcare would hereafter be called Vaatsalya Hospitals, which is the first corporate multi-specialty hospital for women and children in this region.

Water leaks from NTTPS fly ash pipeline

Vijaywada, March 28: A pipeline carrying fly ash along with water from the cooling tower to the ash pond of the Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station here burst on Sunday night leading to the flooding of several roads in the locality, including a school.

Man dies in ‘custody’

Anantapur, March 28: Sreenivasulu (30), a resident of Third Road, who was arrested and interrogated by the Kalyandurg town police in the district, died under suspicious circumstances on Sunday morning.

Relatives of Sreenivasulu accuse the police of adopting third degree methods of torture to extract confession relating to a case of possessing gelatine sticks.

Kalyandurg police reportedly arrested Sreenivasulu on Saturday morning on information that he possessed gelatine sticks.

Pension Bill: Unions decry Centre’s move

Vizianagaram, March 28: Leaders of APNGOs’ Association, United Teachers’ Federation, BSNL Employees’ Union, United Medical and Health Employees’ Union, and other unions affiliated to AITUC and CITU have demanded withdrawal of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill which was passed in Parliament on March 24 by the UPA government as it is against the interests of State and Central government employees and also pensioners.

Sambasivudu’s murder brings focus on Mahabubnagar

Hyderabad, March 28: The murder of former naxalite leader Sambasivudu alias Konapuri Ilaiah evoked keen interest in Mahabubnagar due to his long association with the district. The naxal leader’s underground life almost started in Mahabubnagar and ended here after a decade.

Sambasivudu hogged the limelight when underground cadres killed Maktal MLA Chittem Narsi Reddy, his son Venkateswar Reddy and nine others on Independence Day in 2005 at Narayanpet. He escaped from the jaws of death 14 times.

State to invest 14,000 crore for improving power supply

Hyderabad, March 28: The State government has plans to invest over Rs. 14,000 crore for strengthening the power transmission and distribution (T&D) network during the next four years to match 18,503-MW programmed additional power generation by 2017.

New sub-stations

Security tightened ahead of India-Pak match

Hyderabad, March 28: As India and Pakistan gear up to lock horns in the high-voltage semi-finals of ICC World Cup 2011 at Mohali on Wednesday, the city police are leaving no stone unturned to tighten security especially in old city in the wake of the cricket match.

Plans are afoot to adopt a two-pronged strategy for the Wednesday’s match – heightened security measures and vigil on bookies.

Tearful adieu to Dharmabhiksham

Nalgonda, March 28: The funeral of veteran CPI leader and freedom fighter B. Dharmabhiksham, who died in Hyderabad on March 26, took place in Suryapet in the district on Sunday.

The body was brought from Hyderabad, where it was kept at the State party office, Makhdoom Bhavan, for people to pay their respects.

Many party activists and members of the toddy tappers’ organisations, which was headed by him, were present.

The party cadres gave a red salute to the departed leader as his grieving family members, relatives and friends looked on.

KCR sending wrong signals?

Adilabad, March 28: Had it not been for K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s vicissitude on getting accepted the resignations of recently suspended MLAs, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) would have witnessed some more important ‘joinings’ in the coming days. The leaders who were negotiating a respectable entry into the Telangana party now seem deterred also because of the rumours about its eventual merging with the Congress.

Plans dropped

APCC likely to look into Council poll debacle

Hyderabad, March 28: Stung by the humiliating defeat of party candidates in the elections to the Legislative Council from the Local Authorities Constituency (LAC), the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) is likely to constitute an enquiry committee to look into various aspects, including anti-party activities, in the run-up to the polling.

TDP to review party policies

Hyderabad, March 28: The Telugu Desam Party will take up a thorough review of the policies pertaining to poor and marginal sections and initiate corrective measures to ensure that problems encountered during its regime did not recur.

The TDP which enters into 30 {+t} {+h} year of its foundation on March 29 has decided to revisit its policies and make necessary changes in line with the current developments. The party is planning to organise a 14-month celebration from March 29 this year to Mahanadu 2012 when steps would be taken to reinvigorate the party giving priority to youth.

5 girls meet watery grave

Khammam, March 28: An uncovered ditch dug for construction of additional class rooms at the Government Ashram High School building proved fatal for two tribal girls at Boddugudem village in Chintur mandal on Sunday.

According to information reaching here, U. Vani Sri, 9, a class IV student of ashram school of Tekulaboru village in Kunavaram mandal, and Nageshwari, 4, a student of a local Anganwadi centre, both residents of Boddugudem, accidentally slipped into the rain-water filled ditch adjacent to the school building while playing nearby it in the village on Sunday afternoon.

Congress leaders resent infighting

Hyderabad, March 28: Congress leaders have expressed serious concern at the continuing infighting, gross indiscipline and open criticism of the leadership which they said caused irreparable damage to the party.

At a programme organised by the AP Congress Committee here on Sunday to felicitate party chief D. Srinivas and attended by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and former PCC chiefs, speakers referred to the tiring times faced by the party due to open infighting.

Visas issued only 120 days prior to start of course

Hyderabad, March 28: I attended my visa interview on January 19 and my case has been put under Section 221(g). Now, the Consulate asked me for a deferred I-20 and I have already sent it. But my case is still under processing. Can you please tell me how much time it will take to get my visa?

Hari Prasad

If the consular officer refuses your case under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, it means your visa application was not complete or it requires further administrative processing and cannot be expedited.

Land deals behind Samabsivudu murder?

Nalgonda, March 28: Sambasivudu, a former People’s War naxalite who is a Polit Bureau member of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti(TRS) was fatally stabbed by 10 persons travelling in two cars at Goka Crossroads in Valigonda mandal in Nalgonda district on Saturday night.

The attackers, who used hunting sickles, inflicted about 20 stab injuries on the body. Sambasivudu died on the way to Gandhi Hospital, where he was rushed in critical condition.

MLAs’ salaries to go up to Rs 90,000 a month

Hyderabad, March 27: Members of the State Assembly are all set to get a bonanza for this Ugadi. Their salaries and allowances will be enhanced by a whopping 150 per cent. A bill will be introduced in the Assembly on March 28 or 29 in this regard.

Candlelight display marks Earth Hour

Ongale, March 27: Environment-conscious people in Prakasam district on Saturday resolved to contribute their effort to fight climate change and make earth a better place to live in.

They switched off electric lights for more than an hour from 8.30 PM to express their commitment to protect the environment.

Vizianagaram ‘Odarpu Yatra’ from tomorrow

Vizianagaram, March 27: The nine-day-long ‘Odarpu Yatra’ of former MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy will begin from Monday.

Barring Pachipenta mandal, he will tour all the 33 mandals covering a distance of 800 km and console 17 families.

During his tour, Mr. Jagan will unveil about 50 statues of YSR and address public meetings, according to the route map released by former minister Penumatsa Sambasiva Raju. His supporters and former senior Congress leaders Tadi Venkata Rao, Peddinti Jaganmohana Rao, Vakada Nageswara Rao, and others are making arrangements for the yatra.