Proposal to upgrade 6 municipalities into Corporations: Minister

Hyderabad, Jun 1: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Maheedar Reddy today said there were proposals to upgrade six municipalities into municipal corporations and some major gram panchayats into municipalities in the state.The proposals were under active considerations of the State Government, the Minister said in a press conferenc here.Announcing that 4,038 vacant posts in the municipal bodies would be filled in the next three months, he said the viability and public opinion on upgradation of panchayats as municipalities would be taken into consideration while taking a decision in the matter.Stating that it would not be possible to conduct elections to newly-formed municipalities along with the existing ones, the Minister said time would be required to conduct elections in newly-formed municipalities as there was a need to settle the reservations and other issues.The list of gram panchayats, to be upgraded into municipalities, would be announced before the release of election notification for Panchayat elections, he added.He said the government would present the details of census enumeration in urban bodies to the State Election Commission after it was completed by June 29.About 4,038 vacant posts in urban bodies would be filled within three months in a phased manner, the Minister said "we will try to fill these posts through APPSC to bring transparency in the recruitment".If the APPSC did not respond positively to the request of the State government for recruitment of the posts, an official Committee would be set up and seek help of the universities in conducting recruitment test, he added.
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Jagan asks party to be ready for snap polls

Hyderabad, June 1 : YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Wednesday asked his party leaders and cadre to be ready for snap polls to Andhra Pradesh assembly.Addressing a meeting of the central governing council of the party here, the Kadapa MP said the cadre should be ready for elections whenever they are held.His call has assumed significance as it came a day after the party claimed that it had the requisite number to pull down the Congress-led government and dared the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to move a no-trust motion.The TDP, on the other hand, has been challenging the son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to first prove his party's strength before the governor.The leaders of the main opposition party said they were ready to vote against the government if the governor calls a special session of the assembly.The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has also stated that it would support a no-trust motion moved by any party.The ruling Congress, which has 156 members in 294-member house, is confident of facing the no-trust motion with support from the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), which has 18 legislators and has announced its merger with the former. The government is also confident of support from Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which has seven legislators.It was still not clear as to how many Congress legislators were with Jagan, as Jaganmohan Reddy is popularly known.Soon after he quit the Congress in November last year, he claimed to have the support of as many as two dozen legislators but the number dwindled after the Congress won back some rebels and also warned others of disqualification.The TDP has 88 legislators while the TRS tally stands at 11.For the second day, Jagan held talks with members of his party's governing council and his close aides. He told them that it was the right time to build the party from the grassroots levels.The young leader, who floated the party in March, retained the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency last month with a record margin of over 500,000 votes while his mother Vijayalaxmi retained Pulivendula assembly constituency.
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SCR to run 8 Spl trains to Jaipur for Urs-E-Shareef Hazrath Khawja Moinuddin Chishti

Hyderabad, Jun 1 : South Central Railway (SCR) will run eight Special Trains to Jaipur from Hyderabad, Kacheguda and Ongole/Machilipatnam to clear extra rush of pilgrims traffic attending annual Urs-E-shareef of Hazrat Khawja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer.A release from SCR said here today, Train No 07125 Hyderabad-Jaipur Special Train will depart Hyderabad at 2030 hrs on June 3 and arrive Jaipur at 0615 hrs on June 5.In the return direction, Train No 07126 Ajmer-Hyderabad Special train will depart Ajmer at 1815 hrs on June 10 and arrive Hyderabad at 0730 hrs on June 12.Train No 07129 Kacheguda-Jaipur Special will depart Kacheguda at 2030 hrs on June 5 and arrive Jaipur at 0615 hrs on June 7.In return direction, Train No 07130 Ajmer-Kacheguda Special train will depart Ajmer at 1930 hrs on June 11 and will arrive Kacheguda at 0700 hrs on June 13.Train No 07227 Ongole-Jaipur Special train will depart Ongole at 0900 hrs on June 4 and arrive Jaipur at 0240 hrs on June 6.
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GHMC bill collector in Anti-Corruption Bureau net

Hyderabad, June 1: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today caught red handed Mohd Rafi (29), Bill Collector, GHMC when he demanded and accepted Rs. 2,500 as bribe from the complainant for processing the file relating to changing the owner`s name in the property documents.The tainted amount of Rs. 2,500 was recovered from Mr Rafi after chemical test yielded positive results, a release from ACB here said.Mr Rafi was being arrested and would be produced before the Additional Special Judge for SPE and A.C.B. Cases, Hyderabad, the release said.
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Indian Journalists Union condemns Shahzad killing

Hyderabad, Jun 1 : The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) today strongly condemned the brutal murder of prominent Pakistani Journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad.The Pakistani journalist went missing in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad on Sunday and his dead body with marks of torture was found in Punjab province yesterday.In a joint statement, IJU Secretary-General K Sreenivas Reddy, President-elect S N Sinha and Secretary-General-elect Devulapalli Amar said there was strong suspicion that Mr Shahzad was kidnapped, tortured and killed by the notorious Pakistani Spy Agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), as he exposed chinks in the Agency and its handling of the recent attack on naval base, PNS Mehran in Karachi.Shahzad, the Pakistani Bureau Chief of the Asia Times Online, was an expert in reporting about terrorists and their activities and in the past, the ISI picked him up and interrogated him on his writings, they said."This was an attack on the freedom of expression in Pakistan and we call upon the journalists' community and all those who cherish the freedom of the press in India to rally round the Pakistani journalists in the fight against the tyranny and attacks on the freedom of the press and the practitioners of journalism," they said.They demanded that the Pakistani authorities should investigate the case thoroughly and bring the killers of the journalists to book, the statement added.
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Prostitution racket bust, pimp held, 2 sex workers rescued

Hyderabad, Jun 1: Sleuths of Commissioner's Task Force, North Zone Team today conducted raid on a private hotel at Amerpet and apprehended a pimp and rescued two sex workers.Police seized Rs 9000 and two cell phones from their possession, a release said.Police said Mohan Jadav (26), an Automobile Engineer of Borabanda, here and a native of Bangalore, was working as a driver with Amith and Rohit.At the instigation of Amith, he started brothel business in Hyderabad.Amith and Rohit were doing brothel business through websites. offering contact details of agents/pimps in various cities in India.Mohan Jadav also took a room at the hotel and was conducting brothel business clandestinely with two sex workers supplied by Amith and Rohan.
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Rowdy-sheeter murdered by his rival group

Hyderabad, Jun 1 : Two persons including rowdy-sheeter and his associate were murdered when they were attacked by a sharp knife at a function hall located at Kishenbagh in the old city here today.According to police here, deceased rowdy-sheeter was identified as Azaj. He along with his two associates has gone to attend a marriage function when suddenly unidentified assailants attacked them with a sharp knife and killing Azaj on the spot. His associate Imran succumbed to injuries at Osmania Government hospital.Another associate Isman, who also injured in the attack, is also admitted to Osmania hospital, where his condition was stated to be serious, police said.Old rivary between the two groups is stated to be the reason for the incident.
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No 'fish medicine' for kids, says Andhra rights panel

Hyderabad,May-31: A fresh controversy hit the famous 'fish medicine' therapy for asthma patients as Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission Tuesday ordered that children below the age of 14 should not be administered it.

Acting on a petition by Balula Hakkula Sangham, an NGO working for children's rights, the commission asked the Hyderabad district administration to ensure that no child below 14 years is given the 'fish medicine'.The annual event of distribution of fish medicine is to take place at Exhibition Grounds here June 8-9.The Bathini Goud family of Doodhbowli in the old city of Hyderabad has been administering the medicine free of cost for 165 years.Asthma patients from different parts of India every year gulp down a live 'murrel' fish with a yellow herbal paste in its mouth. The herbal paste, the contents of which remain a family secret, is believed to cure asthma and other respiratory diseases.The NGO president Achyut Rao said since the 'medicine' is given by the family members under unhygienic conditions, it may also spread infection.fish medicine lost its popularity in recent years after NGOs, working to inculcate scientific temper among people, termed it as a fraud and approached court.They argued that the herbal paste contains heavy metals and caused more harm than good to the patients.After the controversy, the Goud family began calling it 'fish prasadam' or holy offering.The Goud family claims that the secret formula for the herbal medicine was given to their ancestor in 1845 by a saint after taking an oath from him that it should be administered free of cost.
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Minister from Telangana quits

Hyderabad, May 31 : An Andhra Pradesh cabinet minister Tuesday submitted his resignation to the governor over the delay in carving out a separate Telangana state.Endowments Minister J. Krishna Rao, who had sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi March 3, met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation.He later told reporters that he had fulfilled his promise made to the students of Osmania University by submitting his resignation."I have resigned as the Congress leadership has failed to make a clear-cut announcement for formation of separate Telangana state," he said.The minister later met Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy to explain the reasons for his decision.He demanded that all the ministers and legislators from Telangana resign to exert pressure on the leadership to accord separate statehood to the region.He also announced that he would resume his 'padyatra' for the separate state on Wednesday and cautioned the government against making any attempt to stop it.The minister's 'padyatra' in Mahabubnagar district May 21 had sparked a row with the police arresting him and his cabinet colleague D.K. Aruna to avert a clash between them.Aruna opposed the 'padyatra' saying the minister had not taken her permission to undertake the visit in her constituency.Krishna Rao has resigned at a time when Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising various pro-Telangana groups, plans to intensify the agitation in the first week of June.
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NDA ready to support bill for Telangana state: Sushma Swaraj

Hyderabad, May 31: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj Tuesday urged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to bring a bill for formation of separate Telangana state in the next parliament session, assuring support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).Addressing a public meeting at Karimnagar Tuesday night, she said if the government brings a bill in the parliament session beginning in July, she would ensure that it is passed with two-third majority.Stating that she had come to the region to draw the battle-lines, Sushma Swaraj reminded Telangana MPs of Congress party of June 1 deadline set by them for their party leadership to make a clear-cut announcement on the Telangana bill.The BJP leader said her party would not rest till a separate state is achieved. "If the government brings a bill in parliament, we are ready to support it but if it fails to do so we will bring the bill and pass it after we come to power," she said.She said ever since the forcible merger with the Andhra region in 1956, the people of Telangana got only commissions, committees, formulas, documents, promises and assurances.On the Srikrishna committee, the BJP leader said it crossed all the limits by suggesting to the government the Telangana movement be suppressed through political and media management."I am ashamed at reading the contents of the secret eighth chapter of the report, in which the committee expressed the apprehension that separate Telangana state will become a Maoist state or a BJP-ruled state," she said.She however said by supporting the demand for separate Telangana state, she was not opposing the people of Andhra and pointed out that three new states were carved out during BJP-led NDA rule.Sushma Swaraj said the demand for Telangana state arose from the imbalanced growth, injustices and discrimination. She termed the movement for separate state a struggle to keep alive the region's culture and its own identity.If it is not a fight for self-esteem, 600 people would not have laid down their lives and citizens from all walks of life would not have come on to the streets," she said.
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Shutdown in Andhra town against power plant

Hyderabad, May 30 : Protests broke out again in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district against an upcoming thermal electricity project, police said.

People in Sompeta town of the district in north coastal Andhra Monday observed a shutdown demanding that the government stop work on the project which, they claimed, threatens the ecology and endangers the livelihood of local communities.Shops and business establishments remained closed in response to the shutdown call given by the Environment Protection Committee, a group of environmentalists and NGOs.Protestors, including fishermen and farmers, likely to be affected by the project, staged road and rail blockades.Police arrested dozens of protestors when they tried to stop the convoy of Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao as the latter was visiting Ichapuram.The arrested include opposition Telugu Desam Party's legislator Sai Raju's father Raja Rao.Some activists alleged that the minister was instrumental in approving the plant wo Raising slogans against the project, the protestors also squatted on the railway tracks, bringing rail traffic to a halt.The Environment Protection Committee is also demanding compensation to the families of those killed in police firing during the protests in July last year.Two people were killed and several others were injured July 14 when police opened fire at people protesting against the project by Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) at Sompeta.The National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) later overruled the environmental clearance given for the 2,640-MW project coming up at a cost of Rs.12,000 crore. Locals claim that the work had resumed on the project.Meanwhile, a group of ruling Congress leaders Monday began a visit to north coastal Andhra region to inspect thermal power project sites, special economic zones, mines and ports amid allegations that irregularities were committed in approving the projects.Member of Parliament V. Hanumantha Rao, who is leading the group, said they would urge the government to cancel the Sompeta project as it would harm the interests of farmers and fishermen.
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Auto strike from May 30 midnight

Hyderabad, May 29 : Telangana Auto Drivers' Joint Action Committee (TADJAC) today appealed to the auto drivers to participate in the 'auto bandh' from May 30 midnight to press for their demand of hike in fare in tune with the increased fuel prices.TADJAC convenor Mohd Amanullah Khan said the income of auto drivers has come down and affected their livelihood due to non-revision of auto fare in tune with the hiked diesel and petrol prices.He demanded that the minimum auto charge should be hiked to Rs 20 from Rs 14 and from Rs 10 to 20 per kilometer afterwards.Mr Khan said sealing of auto meters should also be stopped immediately until further increase of auto fares.He also demanded cancellation of e-Challan system, which was launched to target the auto drivers. The government also has responsibility to find a permanent solution to the problem of auto parking in the city, he added.
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TTDP promises to bring Telangana statehood within year

Hyderabad, May 30 : The Telangana Telugu Desam Party (TTDP) senior leader Mr Yerrabelli Dayakara Rao has said that they would bring ' Telangana statehood' within a year if everybody support the movement.Speaking on the last day of three-day annual conclave of the party after supporting the political resolution introduced by party Polit Bureau member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu yesterday here, he said all the 35 TDP Telangana MLAs were ready to work unitedly if the side cornered TRS President K Chandrasekhara Rao, who was provoking the people of Telangana and keeping silent on the issue in Parliament by siding with the Congress.The party's stand was clear and the party leader also favour the Telangana agitation, he said and lambasted the TRS supremo for failing to accost the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for its dilatory tactics on the separate Telangana issue.He also questioned why the TDP was being asked to set its flag aside when the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) , BJP and every other political party hoist their flags at the events they conduct." We will fight in favour of Telangana by holding party flags and there is no compromise," he said.Appealing to JAC Chairman Prof Kodandaram and Osmania JAC students to understand the issues, he said its party President was clear on the Telangana issue and also ready to join agitation without holding party flag if other political parties, including TRS, also followed the same suit.He also found fault with the TRS President statements that no political party except the TRS would survive in the Telangana region.Interestingly, Mr Dayakar Rao also appealed to its co-members belonging to Seemandhra at the Mahanadu stage to support Telangana issue and said the Telangana leaders would not humiliate the Seemandhra region people.Accusing the estranged party senior leader, Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, of confusing the party and Telangana TDP leaders, he said the former himself remained confused and forced the party to take drastic action against him. said the TDP leaders of the region were always ready to fight for Telangana collectively, but they could not tolerate if any one dared to belittle the party and its leadership.
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Moderate to rather heavy rain in Coastal AP in 48 hours

Hyderabad, May 28: Moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers would occur at many places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh over next 48 hours.Light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur at a few places over Telangana and over Rayalaseema during the same period.The outlook for subsequent two days is there would be no large change, the Met office said here today.Skies would be generally cloudy over Hyderabad and neighbourhood and rain or thundershowers would occur in parts of city over next two days.The maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 36 and 23 degrees Celsius respectively.Observations recorded till 0830 hrs today said rain occurred at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Isolated rain occurred over Rayalaseema.The heavy rainfall recorded in cm are Nuzvid (Krishna dist) 11, Tanuku (West Godavari dist) 10, Narsapur, Bhimavaram (West Godavari dist), eight each and Gudivada (Krishna dist) seven.
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ACB unearths assests worth Rs one crore

Hyderabad, May 28 :Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials today unearthed disproportionate assests worth Rs 1 crore from the house and office of Gowrishetty Amruth Kumar, Assistant City Planner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad.The ACB officials conducted searches at various places, including his office, residence at Srinagar Colony and unearthed assets including a house at P and T Colony, Hyderabad, 3 flats at Kutbiguda, Kundanbagh and Srinagar Colony and 4 plots at Rangapur Village, car, a scooter, gold weighing 897 grams and 800 grams of silver.Household articles worth about Rs ten lakh, fixed deposits of Rs four lakh and bank balances of about Rs 2.30 lakh and cash of Rs 46,000 were found, a release from ACB here said.
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CM approves 1,341 new posts in Andhra Pradesh Genco

Hyderabad, May 28: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today approved the appointment at 1,341 new posts in A P Genco to strengthen the power generation in the state.The posts included 350 Assistant Engineers, 881 Junior Plant Attendants and 110 LDC posts, a release from the Chief Minister's Office said here today.In these, Assistant Engineers and Junior Plant Attendants will be appointed through direct recruitment and LDC posts will be taken through outsourcing basis.Within the projects budget, the expenditure will be borne by A P Genco, the release added.As a special case, the Chief Minister has approved the compassionate appointments to the dependents of the employees who died in harness in Andhra Pradesh State Roard Transport Corporation (APSRTC) against the sanctioned vacancies, the release said.
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Andhra Pradesh Government,Israel to sign MoU on IT

Hyderabad, May 28: Andhra Pradesh government and Israeli government are poised to enter into a partnership to promote Information Technology and as part of it, an Israel-based IT company will spread its technical know-how in Hyderabad shortly.Both the State Government and the Hitech Industries Association (HIA) of Israel will sign a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) shortly.Prior to it, an international meet will be held in Tel Aviv, capital of Israel, from May 29 to June 3 where Andhra Pradesh State Minister for Information Technology Ponnala Laxmiah, who has been invited by the Israeli Government, will deliver his keynote address on the first day of the meet.
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BJP to hold public meeting on May 31 on 'T'issue

Hyderabad, May 28: To bring pressure on the Union Government to introduce the separate Telangana Bill in the ensuing Parliament Session, the BJP is organising a public meeting at Karimnagar on May 31.Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj would address the meeting, BJP State General Secretary Ramachander Rao said at a press conference here today.The party considers the Telangana meeting as very crucial, he said adding the party was expecting a larger turnout at the meeting, he said.In addition to anticipating huge turnout, the meeting would be marked with a lot of sensitivity with the display of Telangan a ethnic tradition and cultural programmes, he added.It may be mentioned here that the BJP has been supporting the cause of the smaller states.The proposed meeting at Karimnagar is going to be a show of strength by the party in Telangana Region as the BJP has two members in the Legislative Assembly and both from the Telangana region
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Govt having strength in Assembly:CLP

Hyderabad, May 28 : Reacting sharply to the TDP's Purported statement announced at its Mahanadu meeting yesterday that they would move no-confidence motion against Congress Government in the coming Assembly Session, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) today made it clear that the Congress Government had the strength to face the no-confidence motion if the TDP or any other party moves it in the Assembly.Speaking to the mediapersons at CLP office here, Government Chief Whip M Bhatti Vikramarka said that the no-confidence motion would be against the democratic system as the Congress Government was elected by people's confidence.Alleging Mr Naidu always concentrated on Chief Minister's post instead of serving the people, he said this was proved his speeches at the ongoing Mahanadu.Expressing happiness over the statement issued by TDP on free power to the farmers for nine-hours if it comes to power, he said that TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu was following the footsteps of the Congress Party, he added.
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Police Commissioner appreciates auto driver

Hyderabad, May 27:Hyderabad City Police Commissioner A K Khan today appreciated Hyder Ali, an autorickshaw driver who had honestly handedover NRI's bag to the police and in turn the police called Mr Jilani (UK) who had forgotten the same in his auto on May 23 night and handedover the same to him.

The Commissioner announced a rewarde of Rs 2000 for his sincerity.He also appealed to all the auto drivers to follow Hyder Ali's example to gain good-will by the people in the city, a police release said here.
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