Funds for Tribal hostels will be released : Andhra Pradesh CM

Hyderabad, Sep 29: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah today agreed to release funds for the improvement of tribal welfare hostels and other schemes taken up by the department.He said all Tribal Welfare institutions in the state would be renovated. Emphasis would be given to tribal welfare schools and hostels. He asked the finance department to give priority to the requirements of the Tribal Welfare Department.The Chief Minister today reviewed the functioning and various other issues pertaining to the Tribal Welfare Department with minister and officials. Dr Rosaiah also agreed to fill up the vacancies in the ITDAs and the Tribal Welfare Department on a priority basis. The Chief Minister was informed that a workshop was held in ITDA and Bhadrachalam recently to identify the gaps and interventions required for improving literacy in tribal areas. A comprehensive plan was being prepared. Meanwhile, support was sought for Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme at State Level Planning and Monitoring Unit (SPMU) on tribal education in the office of the Commissioner, Tribal Welfare. There are 1313 tribal welfare institutions with a total strength of 2,98,600 students. During 2010-11, the strength was fixed for all Tribal Welfare institutions as per existing infrastructure available. Admission to Tribal Welfare hostels during 2010-11 were being done as per a GO. In Andhra Pradesh, Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions (APTWREIs) admissions are completed as per Right To Education Act.The arrears of Post Metric scholarships has been released to the districts. During the year 2010-11, Rs 1540 lakhs provided for pre metric scholarships. Under the Tribal Welfare-NREGS convergence, 4.67 lakh acres of land was distributed to 1.65 lakh families as individual pattas under the RoFR Act, 2006. A comprehensive and systematic planning was being taken up to start land development, minor irrigation development, horticulture and plantation development.The Plan would be implemented in 2010-11 and 2011-12. The Chief Minister was informed that 25 per cent of the royalty amount collected from mining leases in tribal areas were to be spent for the welfare of tribals. The Chief Minister asked the finance department to allocate funds under the scheme to the Tribal Welfare Department.Tribal Welfare Minister P Balaraju, Adviser to CM, P K Agarwal, Special Chief Secretary, Tribal Welfare, A K Tigdi, Commissioner, Tribal Welfare, Shanthi Kumari, Principal Secretary, Finance, L V Subramaniam and other officials attended the meeting, a press release from CMO here said.
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Piped cooking gas for GHMC consumers

Hyderabad, Sep 29 : Petroleum, Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), Chairman, Mr L. Man Singh today assured Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah that piped cooking gas will be supplied to the people of GHMC area in two months time.

The Chief Minister thanked Mr Man Singh and his officials for all the support extended to Andhra Pradesh in honouring the requests.PNGRB has been extending full support to Andhra Pradesh to develop an Integrated Gas Grid. The PNGRB has accepted the state's proposal for treating a district as a unit for gas distribution in the city.The Chief Minister expressed happiness that PNGRB had recently notified four districts--Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nalgonda and Khammam for bidding to develop city gas distribution network. Already, the distribution for Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Kakinada and Rajahmundry has been awarded and work was in progress. The APGIC would submit bid documents for four districts, which were recently notified.Dr Rosaiah said the Andhra Pradesh Gas Infrastructure Corporation(APGIC) has requested PNGRB to take up a trunk line between Kakinda and Kolkata so that the distribution network can be laid in the districts of Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam as the Kakinada-Kolkata trunk line had not been taken up so far. He said the APGIC will be approaching PNGRB for city gas distribution network for the remaining districts in the state, starting from West Godavari, Krishna, Warangal, Karimnagar, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and East Godavari. The Gas Distribution in the districts south of Krishna river was also being planned by the state. Soon, Expression of Interest will be filed with the PNGRB.
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Satyam Computer fraud now estimated at USD 1.75 billion

Hyderabad, Sep 29 : Financial irregularities perpetrated by the original promoters of Satyam Computer Services led by B. Ramalinga Raju resulted in a Rs.78.55 billion (USD 1.75 billion) impact on the company's accounts, the stock exchanges were informed Wednesday.Presenting the consolidated financial results of the company, now renamed Mahindra Satyam, the new management said an impact of Rs.67.95 billion (USD 1.5 billion) was on account of what it said was based on specific financial irregularities identified during forensic investigations. "The fictitious revenue was recorded by creation of false invoices by circumventing the normal revenue recognition cycle," said the filing signed by Chairman Vineet Nayyar on behalf of the new board of the company.The irregularities covered various heads including revenue, interest income, exchange fluctuations, salary costs, other expenses, bank borrowings and interest, as also tax payments, as per the report presented to the stock exchanges.Once the poster boy of Indian information technology industry, Raju had stunned the corporate world in January last year when he admitted to financial irregularities worth Rs.70 billion (USD 1.5 billion) over the past several years in the largest corporate fraud in the country's history.
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Isolated rain in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema

Hyderabad, Sept 29 : Isolated rain or thundershowers may occur over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema over next 48 hours.Outlook for subsequent two days was no large change was expected, the Met Office here said.The sky would be generally cloudy for Hyderabad and neighbourhood. Thunderclouds may develop towards evening over next two days.Maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 33 and 23 Degree Celsius.Observations recorded till 0830 hours said isolated rain occurred over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema.The chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm are Gudivada 4, Bhimavaram and Polavaram, Koida, Parvathipuram 3 each.
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Virtusa gets Technology Center in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Sept 29 : Virtusa Corporation (NASDAQ: VRTU), a global IT services company, on Wednesday announced the inauguration of its new state-of-the-art Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Nanakramguda, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, marking the expansion of its engineering excellence capabilities in India.Virtusa has invested approximately Rs. 75.30 crores in setting up the new center.The ATC, whose inauguration ceremony was graced by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah is built on over 6 acres of land, and when fully built out would provide a 6000 seat capacity. Speaking at the inauguration, Kris Canekeratne, Virtusa's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "India is a key part of our global operations and we are proud of this milestone in our decade long association with Hyderabad in addition to our presence in Chennai. Our new Advanced Technology Center reflects our commitment to Virtusans in India who are part of our One Global Team focused on accelerating business outcomes and consumer experiences of our Fortune 1000 client base." The Hyderabad campus will provide diverse technology solutions and service global clients across many industries, including, banking, financial services, insurance, telecommunications, technology and healthcare.
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ISNA Announces 2010 Election Results,Imam Mohamed Majid New ISNA President

USA,Sep,28,(Deccan Samachar Service) ISNA is proud to share with our community at large the young and diverse new group of ISNA leaders elected to the Majlis Ash-Shura this September. A mix of American born and foreign born Muslims were elected by ISNA members with a broad range of ethnic diversity and ages. "The diversity and youth of our new leadership point to the healthy direction ISNA is taking as it strives to lead the development of the Muslim community in America and bring new and fresh ideas to the table. ISNA members have elected a new group of leaders that more adequately represent the diversity of the American Muslim population," stated ISNA Secretary General Safaa Zarzour.The newly elected leaders join 16 current Majlis members and comprise a young and motivated segment of the community, with ISNA President Imam Mohamed Majid and ISNA Vice President Azhar Azeez both under the age of 42. Additionally, a new milestone was reached this election season as ISNA members elected the youngest person ever, Asma Mirza aged 26, to the Majlis.
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Ayodhya verdict on Sep 30

Sep,28, The Supreme Court Tuesday paved the way for the Allahabad High Court to give its verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, dismissing a petition that sought its postponement. The high court has decided to announce the verdict Sep 30 at 3.30 p.m.Former bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra Tripathi had filed the petition for deferring the high court verdict on the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi title suit in Ayodhya till the end of the Commonwealth Games.An apex court bench of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia, Justice Aftab Alam and Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan passed the brief order when the court reassembled after lunch break Tuesday.Speaking for the bench, Chief Justice Kapadia said: “Having heard the arguments in detail, we are of the view that the petition deserves to be dismissed.”With the dismissal of Tripathi’s petition, the decision on when to pronounce the verdict now rests with the high court.In its pre-lunch sitting, the apex court heard the arguments from both the sides.Attorney General G. Vahanvati told the court: “If there is any possibility of the settlement (out of court), we will welcome it but at the same time we don’t want any uncertainty to continue.”“For the sake of maintaining law and order, we cannot keep security forces in sustained animation,” he added.The apex court last week ordered an interim stay on the pronouncement of the title suit verdict by the high court, acting on a petition by Tripathi.Tripathi had also sought the court’s direction to the parties to explore the possibility of an out-of-court amicable settlement.
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Uncertainty on Ayodhya shouldn’t continue: Attorney General

The Supreme Court was set to decide on a petition to defer the Ayodhya verdict at 2 p.m. Tuesday even as the government said it did not want “any uncertainty to continue”.The apex court had last week ordered an interim stay on the pronouncement of the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi title suit verdict by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, acting on a petition by retired bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra Tripathi,Appearing for the central government, Attorney General G. Vahanvati said: “If there is any possibility of the settlement (out of court) we will welcome it but at the same time we don’t want any uncertainty to continue.”“For the sake of maintaining law and order we cannot keep security forces on sustained animation,” he added.
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Rajya Sabha to get independent TV channel

The Rajya Sabha is likely to have an independent TV channel to broadcast its proceedings from next month’s winter session of parliament, official sources said Monday.The sources said the proceedings will be aired by a separate channel from Nov 7, the expected date for start of the winter session.They said the new channel, an initiative of Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, will initially air proceedings of the house along with a few other programmes. It would eventually be a 24X7 channel.Gurdeep Singh Sappal, OSD to Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari, is understood to have been appointed as the CEO of Rajya Sabha TV.In 2006, DD Lok Sabha was replaced by Lok Sabha TV (LSTV), a 24-hour TV channel broadcasting in Hindi and English.The Rajya Sabha proceedings are at present aired by a Doordarshan channel.
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Ayodhya vedict delay petition untenable: Sunni Central Wakf Board

The Sunni Central Wakf Board Monday said the petition by retired bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra Tripathi seeking the deferment of the Allahabad High Court’s verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi title case was “untenable, misconceived and frivolous” and needed to be dismissed.The board’s affidavit, filed in the apex court registry, also said the petitioner’s “assumption of so-called repercussions or apprehensions was totally  unfounded”.Seeking the vacation of interim stay restraining the Allahabad High Court from pronouncing the Ayodhya title suit verdict, it said there was no such apprehension among the general public of Ayodhya and Faizabad.Describing Tripathi’s petition as nothing but an attempt to thwart the entire judicial efforts of last 60 years and put the clock back, the affidavit said that Tripathi has not appeared in the high court to plead his case in the last 19 years.The only occasion he appeared in the court was in May 2005 when he told that court that he had no witness to present before the court and his evidence was closed, the affidavit noted.It said it was “evident that Tripathi has no following amongst the Hindus and such a person could not be expected to undertake the exercise of out-of-court mutual settlement between the contending parties”.Given the nature and background of the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi dispute, the affidavit contended that it could not be resolved through mediation, conciliation or arbitration.Another respondent Mohammad Hashim said the efforts for negotiated settlement were being made since 1986. It started with Jagadguru Shankracharya of Kanchikoti inviting (noted Islamic scholar Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi) Ali Mian in 1986 to find a mutually acceptable resolution of the dispute.Then several initiatives were taken by the then Prime Ministers V.P. Singh, Chandra Shekhar, and P.V. Narasimha Rao and former president R. Venkataraman.The Shankracharya of Kanchikoti made another attempt to settle the dispute through the negotiation route by roping in the All India Muslim Personal Law Board president, Maulana Rabey Hasni Nadwi but this effort also proved fruitless.He said that the AIMPLB too has repeatedly said that the dispute could only be resolved by the verdict of the court.
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Now, e-learning content on USBs

Hyderabad, Sep 28 : Information technology (IT) solutions provider FirstObject Technologies Limited Tuesday said it has entered into an agreement with optical media giant Moser Baer India Limited for launching its e-education content on DVDs and USB drives."We plan to launch the DVDs and USBs in a phased manner throughout India by the end of October 2010," said P. Ramnath, director of Firstobject. According to the company, the collaboration with Moser Baer will enable it to widen its product offering in the media range through DVDs and USB drives. The company is currently offering e-learning products like Firsteschool and Firstlawschool through web based platform in the country. Recently, Moser Baer launched new USB drives with Bollywood movies. It plans to further launch higher storage capacity drives with entertainment content.
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US consulate announces 1 year scholarships to US Community Colleges

Hyderabad, Sep 28 : The US Consulate General, with funding from the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has invited applications from eligible candidates for the Community College Initiatives Program.The one-year program offers youth from Andhra Pradesh, without a university background, the opportunity to study at a community college in the United States to develop professional skills. This is the second year that the US Consulate General Hyderabad has sought applicants. Last year, seven applicants from Andhra Pradesh were selected and are now studying in the US. The United States Government provides funding for round-trip airfare to the US, tuition costs, health benefit plan and cultural enhancement activities for selected candidates. To apply to the program, candidates must have completed secondary school education; have two years work experience in the field in which they are applying. They must also have English language skills that will provide a basis for enrolling in academic course work following two months of intensive English language study in the US.Candidates from economically disadvantaged background will be given preference. Candidates holding a master's degree are ineligible to apply. Eligible fields for the program including Agriculture, Applied Engineering, Business Management and Administration; Health Professions, including Nursing; Information Technology; Media; and Tourism and Hospitality Management. Applications can be downloaded from http://hyderabad.usconsulate.gov/ccip.html. Interested candidates may submit their completed applications to the Public Affairs Section, US Consulate General - Hyderabad by October 22, 2010 , a release from US consulate here said.
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SAHI organises 'Walk To Hear'

Hyderabad, Sep 27 : Apollo Hospitals and Society to Aid the Hearing Impaired (SAHI), an NGO striving to help poor children with hearing impairment, organised 'Walk to Hear'to express solidarity with the hearing impaired on the occasion of International Deaf Day.The walk which started from KBR Park and ended at Apollo Hospitals, was flagged off yesterday by Secunderabad MLA Jayasudha. Andhra Pradesh Chief Information Commissioner Jannat Hussain, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad A K Khan, Tollywood star Smitha, Ms Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Apollo Hospitals, Dr E C Vinay Kumar, Secretary, SAHI also participated in the program.Several hearing impaired children, students, corporate employees and concerned citizens joined the walk. SAHI donated ear plugs for traffic policemen in the city to Mr Khan on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, Mr Jannat Hussain said, ''we should try to support SAHI as much as possible in its noble endeavour. We should try to spread awareness amongst parents of 3 to 5 year old children about free cochlear implant surgeries done under Arogyashree and the free screening and tests done for neonatals by SAHI.''
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Auto fares will be revised soon: Commissioner

Hyderabad, Sep 27 : Transport Commissioner L Premachandra Reddy assured the delegation of Auto Parirakshana Porata Committee that the existing auto fares will be reasonably increased soon.The delegation led by Mohd Amanulla Khan met him yesterday and presented a memorandum demanding immediate increase in the auto-fares and settlement of other pending issues.They informed the Commissioner that in Bangalore city the auto-fares were already fixed at Rs 17 minimum fare and Rs 9 per kilometre rate with effect from August 1, 2010. They said it had been over two years since the fare for auto was revised in the city as Rs 12 minimum fare and Rs 7 per kilometre . Price of essential commodities had almost doubled and it was the high time for the government to hike the auto fare.Further the delegation informed that as per the government order, the autos converted and run on LPG/CNG were exempted from the payment of Green Tax for five years. But despite the tax exemption the Transport department was collecting the green tax illegally for last 4 years, they demanded that the tax should be refunded to the autodrivers forthwith.The Commissioner assured the delegation that the illegal collection of the tax would be stopped.Finally the Committee leaders informed the Commissioner that if their problems were not solved by the end of this month, auto-drivers would be forced to go on an indefinite strike from October 1, a release from Auto Parisakhana Porata Committee here said today.
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Rosaiah moots employment-intensive tourism projects

Hyderabad,Sep 26 : Planning Rs 1,500 crore investment on tourism inftrastructure, Andhra Pradesh Government is setting up a mega park near Nagarjuna Sagar on the lines of Brindavan and Lalbagh.The State Government was looking for a 16 per cent growth in the state over 129 million tourists in 2009-2010, ahead of releasing its new tourism policy, according to a press release here today Chief Ministrer K Rosaiah has asked the Tourism Department and Tourism Development Corporation to prepare a master plan for employment-intensive projects to achieve the twin objectives of promoting tourism and creating job opportunities, both direct and indirect. The Chief Minister said the year 2011 will be observed as 'Visit Andhra Pradesh' year in recognition of the roll out of dynamic tourist promotion initiatives in the realm of adventure, pilgrimage and beach tourism to attract more international tourists to the State.Dr Rosaiah has approved the final draft of the New Tourism Policy after discussions with Tourism Minister J Geetha Reddy, Chief Secretary Mr S V Prasad and Secretary Tourism Jayesh Ranjan at camp office today. He will release the new policy on September 27.The release said Andhra Pradesh proposes to develop a sprawling, modern garden on the lines of Brindavan in Mysore and Lalbagh at Bengaluru at Nagarjuna sagar. Around 400 acres of land has been identified in Nagalvaram village, Macherla Mandal of Guntur District. The Chief Minister said, ''I want this park to be both a tourist and an educational destination unique in the entire south India.Wherever possible such employment-intensive tourist projects should be promoted to provide jobs to skilled, unskilled and poor and illiterate people in rural areas.'' He said Andhra Pradesh's tourism policy would be the best in the country.The Chief Minister also congratulated officials of the Tourism Department and APTDC for putting the state on the top of tourism map of the country with a record number of 129 million tourists in 2009-10.He expressed happiness that the tourism sector had achieved a 16 per cent growth last year and retained its top position once again.''With the new initiatives and focused tourism policy, I have no doubt that Andhra Pradesh will continue as a preferred destination of both domestic and international tourists and retain its top position,'' he said.
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Comprehensive law to protect lakes and nallas

Hyderabad, Sep 26 : Andhra Pradesh government will bring in comprehensive law to protect lakes and nallas from encroachments Chief Minister K Rosaiah said today.

He responded positively to the proposal to bring in the new law to protect these water bodies in the city and surrounding areas.This law was also needed to protect the lives and property of the people. The officials concerned informed the Chief Minister that all tanks in and the surrounding areas in the city were full and further rains would inundate the nearby localities also putting many unauthorised dwellings also in danger. The Chief Minister said an empowered committee should look into this problem in detail and come out with a comprehensive law to protect the lakes and nallahs.The Chief Minister gave clear directions to all the officials of the GHMC, MA and UD, Health, Water Board, traffic police and the Collectors of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts to initiate necessary steps on a war footing to prevent inundation of low lying areas and colonies, traffic bottlenecks and spread of epidemics. The Chief Minister reviewed the situation following unprecedented rains in the city and surrounding areas with ministers, City Mayor and top officials of various departments.
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South Central Railway to run 129 Dassera/Holiday Special Trains

Hyderabad, Sep 25 : South Central Railway (SCR) will run 129 special trains between various destinations from October to November, 2010, to clear the extra rush of passenger during the ensuing Dassera holiday season.Train No 0719 Secunderabad-Bikaner Special train will depart Secunderabad on October 6, 13, 20, 27 and November 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 2300 hrs and arrive Bikaner at 1700 hrs on the second day. In return direction Train No 0720 Bikaner-Secunderabad Special train will depart Bikaner on October 10, 17, 24, 31 and November 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 1515 hrs and arrive Secunderabad at 0850 hrs on the second day.
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Rosaiah recommends measures to renovate temples

Hyderabad, Sep 25 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah today responded positively to the suggestions of the Technical Advisory Committee appointed by the State Government to assess the structural safety and soundness of major temple structures in the State and recommended remedial measures required to strengthen them.Dr Rosaiah held a meeting in this regard with the members of the Technical Committee and officials of the Endowments Department. He has approved in principle the renovation and reconstruction of 47 temples at a cost of about Rs 30 crore, which include Rajagopuarams.There are 37,000 temples in the State under the administrative control of the Endowments department. There are about 5,000 temples of historic nature constructed more than 100 years ago. The Technical Advisory Committee has inspected 47 major and important temples on priority basis. Thus the process of identifying old temples and assessing them will be a continuous process.
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Heavy rains in Rayalaseema, a few places in Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, Sept 25 : Moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers may occur at many places over Rayalaseema and in the districts of Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore of Coastal Andhra Pradesh.Light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur at a few places over Telangana and in the remaining districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, over next 48 hours.The sky would be generally cloudy over Hyderabad and neighbourhood. Rain or thundershowers may occur in parts of city next two days. Maximum and Minimum temperatures would be around 33 and 23 degrees Celsius respectively.Observations recorded till 830 hours said Southwest monsoon has been vigorous over Rayalaseema. Rain occurred at most places over Rayalaseema and at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.The stations recorded heavy rainfall in cm are Thambalapalle 11, Palasa 9, Kadiri, Piduguralla, Vinjamur 8 each, Tirupathi AP, Bheemgal, Hindupur, Srikalahasti 7 each.The other chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm are Pargi, Ramannapet 6 each, Atmakur and Pathikonda, Bhimadole, Kollapur, Pakala and Puttur, Penukonda 5 each, Chilamattur and Pamidi, Punganur and Venkatagiri Kota, Venkatagiri Town 4 each, Anantapur, Nalgonda, Armoor, Bhongir and Suryapet, Cumbum and Yerragondapalem, Gooty and Kalyandurg, Jangaon, Kalakada, Koilkuntla, Lakkireddipalli and Rayachoty, Nirmal, Veeraghattam 3 each, Arogyavaram, Chittoor, Medak, Atmakur, Dhone, Dubbak and Narayanakhed, Kamareddy and Navipet, Mandasa and Palakonda, Porumamilla 2 each.
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Volkswagen ex-official, five others charged with fraud

Hyderabad, Sep 25 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Saturday formally filed charges against six people, including former Volkswagen executive Helmuth Schuster, in a case of defrauding the Andhra Pradesh government.The investigating agency, which took up the probe in 2005, filed the 150-page charge sheet in the CBI court here. It examined 59 witnesses. The name of state Panchayati Raj Minister B. Satyanarayana, however, did not figure in the charge sheet. He was then holding the industries portfolio and the opposition had alleged his involvement. The 56-year-old Schuster is on the run since the scam broke, and has been placed on the wanted list of the CBI. An Interpol notice was issued against him in 2005. The other accused include Volkswagen's former India representative Ashok Jain, businessmen Bhuwan Kumar Chaturvedi, Jagdish Alaga Raja and his sister Gayatri, who in collusion with Schuster had floated a fictitious firm to cheat the state government. The accused have been charged under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code, CBI official S. Venkatesh told reporters outside Nampally Criminal Court complex. The accused started Vashishta Wahan Private Ltd (the firm's initials are VW, the same as that of the German car maker) to receive Rs.11 crore from the state government for setting up its plant at Visakhaptanam. The scam hit the headlines in 2005 when Volkswagen sacked Schuster on charges of corruption in some other dealings. Schuster was negotiating on behalf of Volkswagen with the state government for setting up the car plant since early 2004 when the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was in power. Later, the Congress government continued the talks. In January 2005, the state government received a letter from Schuster. Typed on Volkswagen letterhead, it confirmed that the company was going ahead with the project. For a joint venture with the government, Schuster sought transfer of 2 million Euros to Vashishta Wahan, which he claimed was the Indian arm of Volkswagen. The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), a government organisation, made the payment. Volkswagen later denied that Vashishta Wahan was its Indian arm or it received the payment. Ashok Jain had registered Vashishta Wahan with the Registrar of Companies. He wrote to the ROC in January 2005 that he was stepping down as promoter and director. The company was later registered in the name of Bhuwan Kumar Chaturvedi of Gurgaon and Jagdish Alaga Raja of Chennai. After the scam broke out top officials of Volkswagen had visited Hyderabad to clarify that the company had nothing to do with Vashishta Wahan. They tendered a moral apology for the wrongdoings of Schuster and offered to return the money the government paid to Schuster. Then Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy had refused to accept the money and instead urged Volkswagen to set up its plant in Andhra Pradesh. The auto giant later dumped the southern state and choose Maharashtra for locating its unit. Meanwhile, Satyanarayana told reporters that he was relieved at getting a clean chit. He accused the opposition TDP of resorting to character assassination by making baseless allegations against him.
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