Hyderabad, August 08: Even in the middle of a heated debate in the State Legislative Assembly on rising prices of essentials, Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy squeezed in a numerological diversion, making a mention of a “time and date that comes rarely’’!
Hyderabad, August 08: Maddelacheruvu Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri, the prime accused in the killing of former TDP MLA Paritala Ravi, was shifted to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here today from the Anantapur sub-jail for treatment.
Suri, escorted by a battery of police personnel from Anantapur, drove into NIMS in a convoy this morning.
Tight security arrangements were in place in and outside the hospital.
“He is suffering from several health problems. In the past also he was admitted to the NIMS for a few days,’’ a police official said.
Hyderabad, August 08: Upset over the attitude of the party leaders over the Karamchedu incident, Telugu Desam party (TDP) MLC Nannapaneni Rajakumari said that she was thinking of quitting active politics.
Rajakumari said that when the Karamchedu incident was raised in the State Legislative Council under calling-attention motion, Opposition Leader Dadi Veerabhadra Rao did not speak in support of her.
Hyderabad, August 08: Agriculture and food security continue to be the driving force of the Indian economy. The country’s largest employment sector is still agriculture and the food industry has become a vital factor in the gross domestic product (GDP).
These observations were made by Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy while interacting with the director of Food and Agri Business School (FABS) who called on him here today to invite him to be the chief guest at the inauguration of the School and Sagar Institute of Technology.
Hyderabad, August 08: Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy has stated that the Centre would introduce weather-based insurance scheme soon.
He urged the members of the Assembly to create awareness among the farmers to join the crop insurance scheme and said that insurance to second crop would also be taken up soon.
The minister was replying to a question from Praja Rajyam member B Shobha Nagireddy that whether there was a comprehensive insurance scheme for the crops in the State, during the Question Hour.
Hyderabad, August 07: Another TDP MLA Y Bala Nagi Reddy, representing the Mantralayam Assembly segment, raised the banner of revolt today, shooting off a joint letter with legislator Nallapu Reddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy to N Chandrababu Naidu urging him to step down as party chief.
Hyderabad, August 07: Reiterating that the State Government will continue to give top priority to welfare and irrigation sectors, Finance
Minister Konijeti Rosaiah today winded up his budget reply seeking approval to the proposals putforth in the budget for 2009-10. The budget debate concluded in the absence of TDP, TRS, CPI and CPM members who were suspended (on the controversial Obulapuram mining issue) from the House for the day.
About Rs.10,000 per minute was being wasted in the Assembly because of Opposition parties obstructing House proceedings, he remarked.
Hyderabad, August 07: Less than a year ago Lakshmamma’s husband Ramulu had gone to the Gulf in search of livelihood and clear his debt of Rs 4 lakh incurred on farming.
But four months later, Lakshmamma received the news of her husand’s death in a fire. Till now the family could hardly repay half of the debt.
Sayamma from Karimnagar lost her 25-year-old son who went to Saudi to repay their loans but committed suicide as he could niether live there nor return to his native place without repaying the loan.
Hyderabad, August 07: AP State AIDS Control Society Project Director, R V Chandravadan made a strong plea for a more balanced portrayal of LGBTs (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgendered) by the media and public relations Agencies.
He was making the comments as part of his keynote speech at the National Public Relations Education Day.
The theme was Public Relations Education — a Prerequisite for Excellence in Professional Practice.
Hyderabad, August 07: Andhra Pradesh government would implement the recommendations of the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) for its employees after receiving the report, state finance minister K Rosaiah told yesterday.
The Congress government is committed to the welfare of the employees and it had announced 22 per cent Interim Relief just two months after appointing the PRC, Rosaiah said during his reply to the debate on Budget.
Hyderabad, August 05: Amidst fears of losing the State’s share of natural gas extracted from the Krishna-Godavari- D6 (KG-D6) basin, the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) on Tuesday said it is currently receiving sufficient gas supply from the eastern offshore fields, but has decided to demand a major share of gas during the second phase of production.
It also stated that gas would ‘‘not be allowed’’ to be supplied outside AP without meeting the State’s requirements.
Hyderabad, August 05: It was a system supposedly abolished long ago. But the orders have been confined to paper and menial servitude is an all-too-glaring reality.
Lower-level police personnel — constables and Home Guards to be precise — are still posted as “orderlies” at the homes and offices of senior police officials, doing chores ranging from purchasing vegetables to even sometimes polishing the shoes of officials.
Warangal, August 04: In yet another attack on women, a stalker slashed a girl’s hand with a razor after she rebuffed his overtures in Narsampet this afternoon.
The victim is receiving treatment in a private hospital in Ameenabad village, her native place in Chennaraopet mandal.
She was stated to be out of danger.
The victim, a 19-year-old, has recently done her graduation (in Commerce) from Rama Krishna College in the town. Her classmate A Narayana has been compelling her to love him for the last three years but in vain.
Rajhmundary, August 05: Kovvur MLA T V Rama Rao alleged that he was made a scapegoat in the power politics being played out in the State. He said that he would continue his legal battle against the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy Government over his illegal arrest and raise the issue in Assembly.
The MLA who is facing charges of rape and murder of a nursing student and was lodged in Central Jail here on July 20 was released on conditional bail on Tuesday.
The MLA’s release was greeted by a large number of TDP men gathered at the central and jail.
Hyderabad, August 05: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board will have to answer a lot of searching questions before it submits a report in three weeks to the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the inventory of jewellery belonging to Lord Venkateswara on the Tirumala Hills.
The High Court’s directive to the TTD board to make an inventory of all properties, including jewellery of all temples under its purview, has come at a time when serious apprehensions are being expressed in various quarters over the safety and security of the highly valuable ornaments.
Hyderabad, August 04: It was quite a sight as a life-sized ‘cow’ made an appearance bang in the middle of the busy Panjagutta intersection on Monday afternoon.
As curious bystanders hovered around the scene, it was revealed that the exercise was part of an awareness campaign organised by the Hyderabad chapter of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). The event, held in protest against the use of leather by Peta chose the cow as a mascot to promote their cause of speaking out against cruelty to animals.
Kurnool, August 04: With officials turning puppets in the hands of commission agents `direct sales’ counter set up to benefit local ryots at Kurnool Market yard are rendered useless.
Plagued by several problems like dry spell and depleting ground water levels apart, ryots are further being bogged down by commission agents at market yards in the district. Those who brought their produce to Kurnool Agriculture Market Yard expecting a remunerative price are being exploited by the agents.
Direct Sales counter set up at the yard has been rendered useless thanks to the apathy of officials.
Nalgonda, August 04: Cruelty to wives was on display in Nalgonda and Karimnagar districts, with one woman hacked to death and the other is struggling for life after being set ablaze.
In Nalgonda, Sheikh Hussain attempted to kill his wife Sheikh Jameela (22) by dousing her in kerosene and setting her afire at Bottuguda street in Nalgonda town. Jameela was hospitalised with 90 per cent burns.
Shimla, August 04: Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh have been booked for corruption by police in Himachal Pradesh, officials said Tuesday. The complaint against them was on the basis of a CD released in May 2008.
“Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh were booked Monday night by the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau under relevant sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code),” Inspector General of Police (Vigilance) SR Mardi said.
Bangalore, August 04: The likelihood of the state slipping into a complete drought-like situation with the failure of the monsoon, increase in the prices of tur dal and the dissidence in political parties in the state have been the focus of most vernacular dailies in Andhra Pradesh in the past fortnight.
Hyderabad, August 03: With private air operators calling off the threatened strike scheduled for August 18, travellers outbound from the city during the weekend heaved a sigh of relief. But in case, it was back on, many were gearing up to deal with situation as best as they could. Some said the threatened strike on Tuesday was strategically timed, given a long weekend attached.
Many anxious airline travellers in fact cancelled their plans after they heard of the stir.
Hyderabad, August 03: Food prices have shot through the roof in recent months, scalding people in their wake. The retail buyer (households) as well as the wholesale purchaser (Hotels and restaurants) are having to suffer because the prices of vegetables, pulses, rice, tea, coffee and sugar have increased, in some cases doubled in the last four months.
If households are unable to balance their budgets, hotels are seeing their margins disappearing because they are reluctant to pass on the burden entirely to the consumer.
Hyderabad, August 03: The State anti-terror wing, Octopus, is again in the news for the wrong reasons.
Its chief Additional Director General Vivek Dube is facing allegations that his family had harassed a constable of the State Armed Reserve Police (SAR) to death.
Chittoor, August 03: Film stars Jagapathi Babu, JD Chakravarthy, Nitin and Anushka visited Srikalahasteeswara Swamy temple at Srikalahasti today and offered prayers.
Temple Trust Board chairman Santharam Pawar and Executive Officer T Sivaji received them.
Later, they visited Kanipakam and had darshan of Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy. The film stars were received by temple Executive Officer Purnachandra Rao.
–Agencies–
Hyderabad, August 03: The government’s promise that it would supply power for nine hours to the agricultural sector is becoming hard to keep as the power distributing companies (Discoms) are finding it much difficult to procure additional power.