Why is BJP silent on Reddy brothers, asks Congress

Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a day after Shashi Tharoor resigned from the government over the IPL row, the Congress Monday quesioned the “eloquent silence” of the opposition party on the allegations of corruption against the Reddy brothers, mining barons who are ministers in the BJP government in Karnataka.“The cabinet ministers in the BJP-led government in Karnataka are creating headlines for the wrong reasons and continuing corrupt practices in the Bellary issue. News reports based on facts, figures and investigations say it is day-light robbery,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said here.He said BJP president Nitin Gadkari and senior leader L.K. Advani were maintaining “golden, eloquent silence” on the allegations against the Reddy brothers.Seeking to take a moral high ground on Tharoor’s resignation as minister of state for external affairs over allegations of corruption in allocation of sweat equity to his friend Sunanda Pushkar in the IPL Kochi franchise, Singhvi said the party had made no attempt to “avoid the issue or brush it under the carpet”.“There was no knee-jerk reaction. It was a considered and reasoned process… the Congress has not taken refuge in the adjudicatory judicial process,” he said.Asked if Tharoor’s resignation meant he was guilty, Singhvi said the decision to ask him to step down was taken based on prima facie view. He said the party had taken a larger view of the matter, and lauded the minister for submitting his resignation.Tharoor resigned Sunday after the Congress core group decided that he should not continue in office over allegations that he misused office to favour Pushkar.
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Chief Minister orders reduction of power cut to small and medium industries

Hyderabad, Apr 20 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah today directed the Energy Department and Power Utilities to immediately reduce the power cut for small and medium scale industries, including rice mills, keeping in view the marginal reduction in power demand in agriculture sector.

While reviewing the power supply position, in particular the gap between demand and supply with officials concerned, the Chief Minister emphasised the need to prevent hardships for the lakhs of industrial labour, particularly in small and medium scale industries.Recently as per the direction of the Chief Minister, the power utilities had reduced the power cuts from two to one-and-a half days to facilitate the industries.Mr Rosaiah had ordered further reduction of power cut from the present one-and-a half days to small and medium scale industries.Principal Secretary, Energy Department, Suthirtha Bhattacharya assured the Chief Minister that the direction would be implemented from today itself.The officials informed the Chief Minister that as far as Hyderabad Metropolitan city was concerned, the present peak demand of Greater Hyderabad was about 1,500 MW. As per the preliminary estimates, the planned demand of 5,000 MW upto 2019-20 in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority area includes industries loads projected by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation for their industrial clusters at Hardware park, Mamidipally and IT Special Economic Zones at Manikonda and Rayadurg.The Chief Minister directed the Energy department and AP Power Utilities to come out with future demand for power well in advance even for industrial sector.He also reviewed power supply position for the domestic sector, reiterated that special efforts should continue to ensure that there were no interruptions, whatsoever, from 1800 hours to 0600 hours for domestic category consumers so as to help the students who were still writing examinations.
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Chandrababu Naidu turns 60,

Hyderabad, April 20: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) activists Tuesday organised blood donation camps and fed the poor in several places across Andhra Pradesh to mark the 60th birthday of party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu.Apart from these programmes, Naidu spent some time at Krushi Street children's home in Medchal block of Ranga Reddy district near here. The former chief minister inquired about the facilities available to the street children and deposited Rs.10,000 for each of the orphans. Speaking on the occasion, Naidu said he wished to see in his lifetime a society free of poverty. Mild tension prevailed during Naidu's visit to Medchal as some pro-Telangana activists tried to stop his convoy, demanding that he take a clear stand on the Telangana issue. Naidu, who comes from Chittoor district in Rayalaseema region, has not taken a clear stand either in support of or against separate statehood to Telangana region but has allowed party leaders from the region to air their views in favour of a separate state. A large number of party leaders and activists, meanwhile, reached his residence in Jubilee Hills here to greet Naidu. He cut a cake to celebrate the occasion with his followers and well-wishers. Naidu's brother-in-law N. Harikrishna, N. Balakrishna and other members of TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao's family greeted him. Naidu, who served as the chief minister for nearly a decade (1995-2004), began his political career in the Congress party and served as a minister in early 1980s and married thespian N.T. Rama Rao's daughter. He later joined the TDP floated by his legendary father-in-law in 1982. Unhappy with the interference of NTR's second wife Lakshmi Parvathi in party and government affairs, Naidu unseated him from power in August 1995 and became the chief minister. NTR, who had accused Naidu of back-stabbing him, died in January 1996. Naidu later firmed up his position, and came to be known as the CEO of Andhra Pradesh for introducing reforms in administration and for his pro-industry image.
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Srikrishna committee interacts with people on Telangana

Hyderabad, April 20: Two members of the Justice Srikrishna committee Tuesday interacted with a cross-section of the people in some villages of Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district to elicit their opinion on the demand for separate statehood to Telangana region.On the second day of their field visit, Abu Saleh Shareef and Ravinder Kaur visited remote villages in Kurnool district of Rayalaseema region. They interacted with farmers, women self-help groups and youth to know their views on the Telangana issue. Assisted by translators, the two members of the committee posed various questions to the people to elicit their opinion. They had Monday visited some villages in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana and interacted with the people. While an overwhelming majority of the people they interacted in Mahabubnagar district wanted a separate Telangana, the opinion in Kurnool district was divided. Shareef, an authority in food security at the International Food Policy Research Institute, and Kaur, a professor of humanities at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, visited some houses in Veldurti Mandal of Kurnool district to meet women and sought their views. In both the districts, they went around the villages, received representations and wanted to know how a separate Telangana state would impact their lives. Unlike in Mahabubnagar district where the committee members were greeted with protests by some pro-Telangana groups, their visit to Kurnool district was a smooth affair. At Kollampally hamlet, the tribals welcomed them in their traditional way. This was the first field visit by the Srikrishna committee, constituted by the central government in February this year to look into the demands for and against separate statehood to Telangana. Kaur told reporters that the committee would visit all parts of the state over the next three months to elicit people's opinion and study their problems. The five-member panel, headed by retired judge of the Supreme Court, Justice B.N. Srikrishna, has so far received over 60,000 representations from various political and non-political groups from all three regions -- Telangana, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. The committee last week began consultations with political parties. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) was the first to present its arguments in favour of a separate Telangana state. Actor-turned-politician K. Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), which is opposing the demand, will make its presentation before the committee here Thursday. Though the central government has asked the committee to submit its report by the year-end, the panel is hopeful of completing the process of consultations by the end of July and submit its report before its term ends. The panel was constituted after Andhra Pradesh was rocked by a series of protests for and against a Telangana state following the Dec 9 statement by Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram that the process for formation of Telangana state would be initiated. He had made the statement after an 11-day fast by TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao.
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Shoaib Malik given back his passport by Hyderabad Police

Hyderabad, Apr.20 : A day after the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the concerned agencies to return Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik's passport, the all rounder finally received his travel document back on Tuesday (April 20.)According to Malik's lawyer Muhammed Javed, his client has received his passport back, and would return to Pakistan soon with his newly married wife Sania Mirza.On Monday, the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed all cases against Shoaib, and ordered the police to return his passport.The court also said that Shoaib and Sania are free to visit Pakistan whenever they want.Earlier on April 5, Shoaib had handed over his passport and mobile phone to the Hyderabad Police, after an investigation team questioned him on a complaint filed by his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui's father Mohammed Siddiqui.Acting on Siddiqui's complaint, police had asked Shoaib not to leave the city without their permission, and also alerted immigration officials.The decision to dismiss all cases comes after Shoaib divorced Ayesha on April 7.After the divorce, Shoaib and Sania finally exchanged the marital vows on April 12.
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DIRECTOR AP ARCHYALOGY ADDRESSING TO MEDIA,

Prof Chenna Reddy, director of AP state Archeroliogy department addressing newsmen at C S I St Georges Church Compound Abids,St Georges Pastorate Committee along with its president Mr Paull S David,                              (PHOTO BY R S J THOMAS) ===================================================================================

R,NARAYANA MURTHY ADDRESS TO BSEF MEETING,

Bhahujan Samaj Employee Fedaration Meeting R Narayana Murthy's, (The famous film actor and Director) speech while Bhahujan Samaj Employee Fedaration Meeting,(PHOTO BY RSJ.THOMAS)=============================================================================================================

BRIC COUNTRIES LEADERS MEETING IN BRASILIA,BRAZIL,

The Leaders of BRIC countries, the President of Brazil, Mr. Lula da Silva, the President of Russia, Mr. Dmitry A. Medvedev, the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and the President of China, Mr. Hu Jintao in a meeting, in Brasilia, Brazil on April 15, 2010.

(Photo by PIB No.CNR-31298)

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Chief Minister K.Rosaiah meeting with Ahluwalia,

The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri K. Rosaiah meeting the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia to finalize Annual Plan 2010-11 of the State, in New Delhi on April 16, 2010.

(Photo by PIB No:CNR-31307)

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Identification of Minority Concentration Districts

Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) have been identified on the basis of substantial minority population and relative backwardness in terms of selected socio-economic and basic amenities parameters based on data of 2001 Census. There are 90 such districts in the country. Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha , the Minister for Minority Affairs, Shri Salman Khurshid, said that there is no proposal to review/upgrade the list of already identified MCDs at this stage.

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Rajya Sabha adjourned till Monday

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till Monday with angry opposition MPs, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), creating a furore demanding a discussion on the IPL row involving Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.The upper house of parliament will reconvene at 11 a.m. Monday.The problem started Friday as soon as the house assembled at 11 a.m. and BJP members, S.S. Ahluwalia and Ravi Shankar Prasad, were on their feet demanding a debate on the issue. They were joined by MPs from the Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). The house was adjourned till noon.But the din continued when the house reassembled. Amid the din, Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan called for the official papers to be laid in the house.As opposition members continued to raise procedural issues, Home Minister P. Chidambaram stood up to read two paras from a statement laid by Tharoor in the Lok Sabha.In spite of an appeal to members to allow the house to function, the din continued and the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till Monday.======================================================

PM meeting with Brazil President,

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh meeting the President of Brazil, Mr. Lula da Silva on the sidelines of BRIC and IBSA Summits, in Brasilia, Brazil on April 15, 2010. ( photo by PIB)

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Of six GSLV launches, only two were successes

The GSLV rocket mission that failed Thursday was the sixth launched by India. Of the six, only two were successes and one a partial success. The rest could not accomplish their missions.The two successful launches by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were in 2003 and 2004 – and put into space GSAT-2 and Edusat, an educational satellite.The rocket’s maiden flight in 2001 could not attain success as it was not able to sling GSAT-1 into the intended orbit. The satellite could not be raised to the intended orbit.The 2006 flight was historic for a dubious reason – for the first time ISRO destroyed the rocket mid-air soon after the take-off as it started backing up.The last flight of GSLV was in 2007, which is considered a partial success.In Thursday’s mission, the main indigenous cryogenic engine ignited when it was activated 300 seconds after the rocket blasted off, but two side Verinier cryogenic engines failed to igniteThe mission, costing Rs.350-crore mission, was not insured. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Development 3 (GSLV-D3) rocket deviated from its path minutes after the rocket blasted off around 5 p.m.ISRO chairman K.Radhakrishnan said: “The vehicle started tumbling and started losing altitude because two engines would not have ignited.”The GSLV D3 blasted off with a GSAT 4 satellite but stopped emitting signals within minutes, after the rocket attained 60-km altitude.The data from the rocket stopped coming after 505 seconds.“The cryogenic state ignition order was issued by onboard computers as planned. Indication of cryogenic engine getting ignited was also obtained.”“The cryogenic engine has two more Verinier engines, It seems they did not get ignited,” he said, adding a “detailed analysis will be done”.Radhakrishnan said the next GSLV launch with an Indian made cryogenic engine will be launched within a year.This is the first launch for Radhakrishnan after becoming ISRO chairman, (way2online) =======================================================

Hyderabad U.S Consul General address press conference,

A memorandum of understanding signed between Curves International, Inc and Q-Mart Retail Ventures Pvt. Ltd. in a press conference at Taj Deccan, Hyderabad. U.S. Consul General Hyderabad. U.S. based Curves International, Inc is the world’s largest women’s fitness club
franchisor with more than 10,000 locations in over 50 countries worldwide and has brought fitness to more than four million women.U.S.Consul General Cornelis M.Keur presided over the signing ceremony. The press conference is addressed by Curves India CEO David Ramadan and Q-Mart Retail Ventures Pvt. Ltd Director BVK Raju.  (photo by RSJ THOMAS)================================================================================

Moulana Israr Ahmed's death shocks Muslims,

Hyderabad, April 14: The demise of renowned Islamic scholar Moulana Israr Ahmed sent shock waves among Muslim community in this Indian city.Muslim organisations and leaders expressed their shock the death of Moulana Israr Ahmed,the founder of Tanzeem-e-Islami who passed away in Pakistani city of Lahore early Wednesday. Hundreds of Muslims offered 'Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza' (or funeral prayers in the absence of body) at Azizia Masjid, one of the biggest mosques in the city, after Maghrib prayers Wednesday evening. Sheikh Imaduddin, the imam of the mosque, led the prayers. Addressing the gathering, he termed Moulana Israr's death as the biggest loss for the Islamic world. He recalled that the 'dars-e-Quran' (or translation and interpretation of the Quran) by the scholar and his soul-stirring lectures on the message of the Quran created an awakening in the Muslim 'ummah' and reconnected people, especially the youth, to the holy book. Moulana Israr, who died at the age of 78, was a familiar face for Muslims here and in other Indian cities through his daily discourses on Peace TV and QTV. The CDs of his lectures and speeches are also popular here. Moulana Israr, who headed the Quran Academy, had also visited Hyderabad four years ago to deliver a series of lectures. He was popular in the Indian sub-continent, Middle East and North America for his thought-provoking lectures on the Quran.
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Parliament adjourned over demands for debate on Dantewada

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 12 noon amid noisy scenes by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and other opposition parties demanding the suspension of question hour for a debate on Dantewada massacre.In the Lok Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders M.M. Joshi and Rajnath Singh raised the demand first and were soon joined by members from the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Janata Dal-United.Parliamentary Affairs Minister P. K. Bansal tried to pacify the protesting parliamentarians and informed them that Home Minister P. Chidambaram would make a statement on the issue at 1 p.m.But the protesting MPs continued with their demand, forcing Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the house.The Rajya Sabha also resumed work with at least 19 members who were re-elected and elected to the upper house of the Indian parliament taking oath. All the members of the Rajya Sabha also paid tribute to the late Polish president Lech Kaczynski, who died in a plane crash last week.Soon after that, however, the house had to be adjourned following noisy demands for a debate on the massacre in the April 6 masscre of 76 security personnel in the forests of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.
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17,842 acres of land distributed to poor in AP dist

Tirupati, Apr 14: As many as 17,842 acres of land was distributed to the poor landless beneficiaries in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh which under the fifth phase of land distribution programme held on Ambedkar 'Jayanthi' today.In Tirupati division, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Roads and Buildings Galla Arunaka Kumari launched the fifth phase of land distribution programme at Srinivasa Auditorium in S V University campus where 3,612 beneficiaries from three constituencies were given land rights. Chittoor TDP MP Siva Prasad handed over land pattas to the beneficiaries on the occasion.After participating in Dr B R Ambedkar Birth Anniversary celebrations at Chittoor district headquarters, Ms Kumari also unveiled the prestigious land distribution programme at Market Yard in Chittoor division where 3,118 landless poor were given land pattas. In Madanapalle division, State Forest Minister P Ramachandra Reddy launched the fifth phase of land distribution programme after garlanding the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar.The district administration had made elaborate arrangements for the prestigious programme.
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Pakistan minister to represent country at Sania-Shoaib reception

Pakistan Population Welfare Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, cricketer Sohail Tanvir and singer Waris Baig have arrived here to attend the wedding reception of Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza Thursday evening.Awan, who landed in Hyderabad Wednesday night, hoped that the marriage of the two celebrities would help strengthen the ties between India and Pakistan.“I am here to attend the wedding reception and I am confident that this marriage will help in the peace process,” she told reporters at the airport.The minister, who would represent the Pakistani government at the reception Thursday, said she would present a gold crown to Sania as a special gift from the people of Sialkot, Shoaib’s home town. The minister also comes from the same town.Awan, who is on a five-day visit to India at the invitation of union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, will also hand over gifts from Pakistan President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to the coupleThe minister reiterated that the newly-wed couple would be brand ambassadors of Pakistan population welfare ministry.“We are aware of the legal process in India and the issue of passport will be resolved very soon,” she said when asked about Shoaib’s passport, which is still with a city court.The Hyderabad Police have said it could take a week for the former Pakistan skipper to get back his passport as he would have to complete legal formalities with regard to the closure of the case filed against him by his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui.Ayesha withdrew her complaint against Shoaib after the latter divorced her. But the cricketer’s passport, seized by the police after grilling him April 5, is still with the court.The Pakistani cricketer married the Indian tennis ace Monday.Meanwhile, the stage is set for the gala wedding reception at hotel Taj Krishna in Hyderabad. Sania’s family has invited about 1,000 guests, including film personalities and sportspersonsActors Salman Khan and Shahid Kapoor, tennis stars Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati, and ace shuttler Pullela Gopichand are among some of the celebrities expected to attend the reception.(way2online)

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Notification issued for Council polls for 3 seats

Hyderabad, Apr 13 : The Election Commission of India today issued notification for conducting Legislative Council Elections in Andhra Pradesh to fill up three seats from Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency (two members) and Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency(one member).Informing this to reporters here, State Chief Electoral Officer I V Subba Rao said the last date for filing of nominations would be April 20.Scrutiny of nominations would be taken up on April 21 and the last date for withdrawals is April 23.The elections would be held on May 7 and counting of votes polled on May 10, he said, adding Model Code of Conduct had already come into force from April 6.As many as 223 voters-- 150 corporators and 65 ex-officio members--were eligible to exercise their preferential vote from Hyderabad and 592 voters including an MP and six MLAs could vote from Rangareddy Local Authorities Constituency, he added.
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Chief Minister Dr.K.Rosaiah, launches land distribution prog

Hyderabad, Apr 14 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah today launched the fifth phase of the land distribution to landless poor by handing over the title deeds to women at Shadnagar in Mahaboobnagar district, coinciding with the 119th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar.Later, addressing the gathering, he said the government, which was committed to the welfare of the poor had decided to distribute land to the landless poor for their empowerment.He urged the opposition parties to extend their help and offer suggestions for the implementaton of the land distribution scheme instead of criticising the state government.It was the duty and responsibility of the opposition parties to offer their constructive suggestions for its implementation in the interest of the landless poor, he added. He said an extent of 1,00,615 acres had been identified for distribution to over 69,506 beneficiaries in 22 districts in the state.''Our government aims to fulfil the mission of Dr Ambedkar for uplift of the weaker sections, particularly the SC/ST's by empowering them with land to achieve sustainable livelihood,'' he said.Each family was given land 2.50 acres of wet land or 5 acres of dry land, including the land originally held by the family.Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao said the state government had taken up the land distribution programme in a big way.He said the state government has already distributed surplus land to the landless poor in four phases to an extent of 6,03,809 acres.
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