Sibal lauds Gujarat's senior cop for speaking out

Ahmedabad, May 25: Union Human Resource Minister Kapil Sibal Wednesday praised Gujarat's senior police officer Sanjeev Bhatt without directly naming him.The courage shown by a police officer in revealing details about what transpired during the 2002 communal riots in the state showed that the soul of India is not dead, Sibal told reporters here.Bhatt has been appearing before the Nanavati Commission, which is probing the riots. His statements against Chief Minister Narendra Modi and some of his colleagues in the police had created a major controversy.Sibal said that the process of justice for the 2002 riot victims has been painfully slow.He said he was pained at the lack of urgency and sensitivity in which the cases are being dealt."While constituting the Nanavati Commission to probe the riots, the Bharatiya Janata Party had said that its report would be available in four months. Nine years later, it is yet to submit the report," Sibal added. =========================================================

Tension prevails at Telangana Ranabheri

Hyderabad, May 25 : Tension prevailed at Karimnagar district, where just a few hours before the commencement of 'Ranabheri', being organised by Telangana Telugu Desam Party (TTDP) forum in the evening as TRS and Pro-Telangana activists, including students prevented and detained TTDP leaders proceeding to the meeting.large number of Pro-Telangana activists, including students and JAC leaders prevented the TTDP leaders, who had arrived at the venue to participate in the meeting.
police took nearly 50 agitators who termed the forum a ''Telangana betrayal'' meeting, into custody.Following the arrest, some of the agitators pelted stones on the vehicles of TDP MLAs and in which two policemen were injured.Police restored to lathicharge to disperse the agitators.A similar incident was reported in Chinakoduru mandal of Medak district when TDP leaders, including MLA Reventha Reddy and TTD forum convener Eerraballi Dayakar Rao who were proceeding in a vehicle to Karimnagar from Hyderabad to participate in forum, were attacked and detained by Pro-Telangana agitators near Imbrahimnagar.Meanwhile, Political JAC Chairman Prof.Kodandaram ,BJP state Unit President Kishen Reddy and TRS MLAs, including Harish Rao, participating in different meetings, alleged that TD Telangana leaders were tyring to dilute the ongoing movement for separate state.Kakatiya University (KU) JAC , Osmania University (OU) JAC and TTDP leader Nagam Janardhana Reddy, against whom resolution were passed by TTDP forum to expel him from the party, were among those who vehemently opposed the forum.
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Police arrest 500 TRS activists following dharna

Hyderabad, May 25:Police today arrested several Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders and pro-Telangana activists at various Telangana districts in the state when they were observing protests in front of Districts Collectorate offices as part of call given by TRS demanding immediate carving of separate Telangana state by the Centre.Police also made preventive arrests at Medak district before laying siege of Collectorate Office by TRS leaders. TRS leaders led by party MLA T Harish Rao staged a rasta roko on the National Highway road near Patancheruvu and later he was arrested by Patancheruvu police.Earlier talking to reporters, Mr Rao alleged that the Medak Superintendent of police has issued preventive custody of TRS leaders despite their requesting permission to protest in front of Collectorates in various districts. A large number of pro-Tenangana activists also observed dharna in front of Collectorate office in the city located at Lakdikapul, where heavy police force was already deployed to prevent the agitators.At Nizamabad district, as many as 100 activists and TRS leader Pocharam Srinvias Reddy were arrested by police when they tried to siege the collectorate office and the police also used water canons to disperse the agitators.According to reports reaching here, overall 500 TRS activists including leaders were arrested at various Telangana districts including Mahaboobnagar, Warangal and Karimnagar when they were observing dharna.Condemning the police arrests of legislators and leaders, who were observing dharnas in a democratic manner at various districts in Telangana region, TRS President .K.Chandrasekhara Rao demanded immediate release of their leaders.
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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister appeals to Ministers to set aside difference

Hyderabad, May 24 : In view of the recent cold war between ministers Jupally Krishna Rao and D Aruna over padayatra in favour of Telangana separate statehood at Mahaboobnagar, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy appealed to Cabinet Ministers not to degrade the Congress image and instead work unitedly.According to sources, this figured during the Cabinet Meeting where the Chief Minister also requested his Cabinet colleagues to set aside their differences and not to give scope to the press to speculate.The difference would affect the party's image, he added.During the Cabinet Meeting, the ministers also discussed procurement of paddy lying at various market yards in the state and enhancement of MSP besides permission for rice exports.During the meeting, the official informed the Chief Minister that 43.66 lakh MTs of paddy was procured at various market purchasing centres in the state and necessary steps taken to procure 45 lakh MTs more. ======================================================

Cabinet gives nod to fill above 4726 posts in various govt sectors

Hyderabad, May 24 : The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet gave the nod for filling up of more than 4726 posts at various government departments including municipalities in the state, while resolved to remove 80 Deputy Surveyor posts appointed against the government norms.Briefing the reporters after the Cabinet meeting held at Secretariat here, Information and Public Relations Minister D K Aruna said the cabinet had decided to fill up 563 posts at various polytechnic colleges across the state besides giving nod for filling up one each post of Chief Engineer and Chief Technical Examiner in Roads and Building Department.It also decided to recruit 4,048 posts at Municipalities except Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada corporations, in the state.The Cabinet also decided to fill up posts of three Chief General Managers in Electricity department, she said adding the Cabinet also decided to fill 69 posts under Deputy Surveyor category in Srikakulam district while the Cabinet decided to remove 80 deputy Surveyor posts filled in 1994 against the government norms.The meeting also resolved to fill nine Joint Director and 14 Deputy Director posts besides suspending of the existing 23 Assistant Director posts in the Women and child Welfare Department while four more posts sanctioned in Tribal Welfare department, she informed.
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HMR calls bids for Rs 4,132 cr mega metrol rail project

Hyderabad, May 24 : The Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMR), which is overseeing implementation of the mega Rs 14,132 crore Hyderabad Metro Rail project in public private partnership (PPP) mode, has today invited competitive bids from reputed chartered accountancy firms for appointment as Statutory Auditors for the Hyderabad metrorail project.In a release, HMR Managing Director Mr NVS.Reddy has stated that HMR will announce a panel of five top chartered accountancy firms from among the applicants scoring the highest points on the basis of their experience in the past five years and forward the panel to the Concessionaire L and T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd.
L and T MRHL will then appoint one of the firms from the panel as Statutory Auditors for certifying the books of accounts and all other financial statements which will have to be maintained by the Concessionaire L and TMRHL as per the Concession Agreement.L and TMRHL will have to maintain proper records and books of accounts for all income, expenditure, payments, assets and liabilities as per good industry practice and applicable laws, and periodically submit financial statements certified by the Statutory Auditors to HMR for verification.L and TMRHL will bear the fee payable to Statutory Auditors.In order to maintain strict vigil over the cash flows of the project, it is made mandatory that the cash flows of the project are routed through a special Escrow Account, he said.All the funds received by the Concessionaire including bank loans, passenger fares, real estate rentals and VGF grant amounts will have to be deposited in this Escrow Account, the release added.
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Tell me about my mistakes: Nagam

Hyderabad, May 24 : In the wake of the resolution passed by Telangana Telugu Desam (TTD) forum to expel Nagam Janardhan Reddy from the Telugu Desam party (TDP), the latter today said if the party wanted to take action against him they should tell him what mistake he had committed .Addressing a press conference at TDLP office here, Mr Nagam said he has been rendering unstinted service to the TDP for the past 30-years and given strong fight against the Congress.He said that he was only striving to save the party in Telangana and the party should announce its stand on separate Telangana statehood.Recalling that the party had passed a resolution calling for Telangana state in 2008, he said he only asked party president N Chandrababu Naidu that a copy of that resolution be sent to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.Alleging that it was the Seemandhra leaders who had violated the party policy decision, he asked how the party could take action against him without first taking action against them.Dual play would not survive in the Telangana issue, he said and warned that the party had already lost people's confidence and the party president should at least now take action to restore it.Referring to the remarks that he was alone, he said even the TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao was also alone when he left the party.
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Several welfare measures for Minorities: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister

Hyderabad, May 24 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said his government had initiated several welfare measures for Muslim Minorities in the State in recent times.He informed this when a delegation of Muslim Elders from United Muslim Forum, Andhra Pradesh under Former Minister Mohd Shabbir Ali called on Mr Reddy at the Camp Office here today and thanked him for extending reservation in jobs for Muslims for a further period of ten years and implementing several other welfare measures, according to an official release here.Addressing the delegation, the Chief Minister reiterated his government's commitment to development and welfare of poor in general and Muslims in particular.He recalled several welfare measures initiated by his government, including extending reservation in government jobs for a further period of ten years for Muslims and free reimbursement for 1.5 lakh minority students costing about Rs 20 crore.
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