State govts announce new school timings, holidays amid heatwave: Check complete list

State governments adjust school timings to protect kids from intense heatwave. IMD red alert for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha. Met 'Orange' alert for Telangana, Karnataka. Heatwave persists in May. Chhattisgarh summer vacation. Jharkhand school closure. Maharashtra early break.

YS Sharmila vs Cousin Avinash Reddy In Andhra Pradesh's Cuddappah

The southern view election special travels to the sweltering hot Cuddappah Lok sabha seat in the Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh where Congress's YS Sharmila, the sister of YSRCP chief Jagan Reddy is taking on her cousin and incumbent YSRCP MP YS Avinash Reddy.

Global dip in production boosts demand for Indian tobacco

Average prices per kg shoot up in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh; delayed showers worry farmers in Karnataka

Andhra Pradesh Calls for Applications for PM Rashtriya Bal Puraska

APSCPCR encourages talented children aged 5-18 to apply for national awards; categories include social service, education, sports, and more

Meet the multimillionaires in fray in Andhra Pradesh

TDPs Guntur Lok Sabha candidate Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar is leading the list of multimillionaires in Andhra Pradeshreports Asian Lite News Several multimillionaires are in the fray for simultaneous elections to... The post Meet the multimillionaires in fray in Andhra Pradesh first appeared on India Daily Digital .

Heat wave conditions likely in TN during next 3 days; Nandyal recorded highest maximum temperature of 46.2C on May 2

Heat wave conditions are likely to continue over East India till May 5 and over south Peninsular India till May 6 and abate thereafter. Meanwhile, heavy to very heavy rainfall spell accompanied with thunderstorms and gusty winds very likely over Northeast India on May 5 and 6, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. On Thursday, the highest maximum temperature of 46.2C was reported at Nandyal (Rayalaseema) over the country. On the same day, maximum temperatures were in the range of 43-46C in some parts of Odisha and Rayalaseema, in isolated pockets of Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; in the range of 40-43C over many parts of Gangetic West Bengal; in some parts of Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and Gujarat; in isolated pockets of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Madhya Pradesh and North Interior Karnataka. These are above normal by 4-7C in some parts of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu; in isolated pockets of Assam & Meghalaya, north Odisha, east Bihar, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema and South Interior Karnataka. According to the IMD, maximum temperatures in the range of 44-47C likely to continue over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Telangana and Rayalaseema till May 3 and decrease thereafter. Heat wave conditions very likely in some pockets over Gangetic West Bengal; at isolated pockets over Telangana, Interior Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu during next 3 days; over Kerala, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim on May 3; Odisha, Bihar on May 3 and 4; Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada on May 4 and 5 and over West Rajasthan on May 7. Hot and humid weather very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal and Kerala and Mahe during next 4-5 days; Assam & Meghalaya, Tripura, Saurashtra and Kutch on May 3 and 4 and Konkan during May 3 to 5, 2024. According to Skymet, the first pre-monsoon spell of May is expected between May 9 and 11. The intensity and spread of activity will be large to cover parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan. The southern parts, the private weather forecaster added, will have a large spread of pre-monsoon thunderstorms, simultaneously covering different pockets. Heat-struck regions of Rayalaseema, Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu will be relieved of oppressive conditions. Severe thunderstorm activity is likely over South Interior Karnataka, Southern parts of Andhra Pradesh and farther parts of Kerala bordering Tamil Nadu.

Lok Sabha elections: Telangana Congress releases manifesto with 23 promises

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) here on Friday released a separate manifesto with 23 promises for the State in view of the Lok Sabha elections. One of the crucial promises was bringing back five villages that were merged with Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation to Telangana paving the way for development of the famous Sree Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Temple in Bhadrachalam on all fronts. Getting Investment Technology Investment Region (ITIR) that was cancelled by the NDA government, to Telangana, setting up of Railway Coach Factory in Kazipet, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Hyderabad, Fast Rapid Rail system along Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway and University of Mining as per Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Act were included in the manifesto. Getting national status for Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and setting up of regional office of Niti Ayog in Hyderabad apart from taking up new airports, constructing Ramagundam-Manuguru new railway line, besides establishing four military schools were also figured. Establishing Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Indian Institute of Science Education, and National Aviation University and Research in addition to doubling the strength of Navodaya schools and constructing National Sports University and increasing central schools were among a few promises made in the manifesto along with developing Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridor, Hyderabad-Warangal Industrial Corridor and Singareni Industrial Corridor. AICC Telangana in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi released the manifesto in the presence of IT Minister D Sridhar Babu and other senior leaders. Speaking on the occasion, Sridhar Babu said the manifesto was prepared keeping in view the interests of all sectors.

AP ECET Hall Ticket 2024 released at cets.apsche.ap.gov.in, direct link to download

The Andhra Pradesh Engineering Common Entrance Test (AP ECET) Hall Ticket for the year 2024 has been officially released by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE). Aspirants can now access their hall tickets via the official website cets.apsche.ap.gov.in. The hall ticket is an important document required for appearing in the AP ECET examination. It contains vital information such as the candidate's name, roll number, examination center details, and exam timings.

After Varun Tej, Venkatesh to hit campaign trail

Close on the heels of Varun Tej, who campaigned for his uncle and super star Pawan Kalyan in Pithapuram, seasoned star Venkatesh is likely to campaign in Telangana in the ensuing Lok Sabha election as he is expected to campaign for a close relative contesting from Khammam seat. Already Venkateshs elder daughter Aashritha took part in the election campaign for her father-in-law Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy, who is contesting as a Congress candidate in Khammam. Lets vote on May 13 and get our Raghuram Reddy elected, 34-year-old Aashritha said when invited to speak at a campaign meeting. Venkatesh, it is said, will campaign for Raghuram Reddy on May 7. Aashritha is married to Raghuram Reddys son Vinayak Reddy. The wedding took place at the Jaipur Palace in 2019. Rahguram Reddys father R Surender Reddy is a four-time MP, having got elected thrice from Warangal and once from Mahabubabad constituency. Venkatesh's decision to step into the political arena on behalf of the Congress party came as a surprise to many. Known for his discretion in political matters, Venkatesh's entry into the fray adds an intriguing twist. The illustrious Daggubati family boasts a legacy entrenched in both cinema and politics. Dr. D. Ramanaidu, a towering figure in the film industry, transitioned seamlessly into politics, serving as an MP for the Telugu Desam Party. However, despite his efforts, the unexpected defeat in the 14th Lok Sabha elections led the family to retreat from political engagements. While other stars like Balakrishna and Pawan Kalyan are campaigning hard for their individual seats as well as for the TDP-BJP and Jana Sena alliance candidates across Andhra Pradesh.

Illicit liquor worth Rs 73 lakh destroyed in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna - India Today - India Today

Illicit liquor worth Rs 73 lakh destroyed in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna - India Today India Today

Illicit liquor worth Rs 73 lakh destroyed in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna

Illicit liquor worth Rs lakh destroyed in Andhra Pradeshs Krishna

Former Bengaluru Police commissioner Bhaskar Rao injured in road accident as car topples 3 times

Former Bengaluru top cop Bhaskar Rao survived a severe road mishap, sustaining fractures in a Toyota Innova Hybrid Hycross accident. His companions suffered minor injuries, while Venky was admitted to the ICU. Rao commended the Andhra Pradesh government's efficient health center management.

Why Rahul Gandhi Chose Rae Bareli for His Campaign

Rahul Gandhi's decision to run for office in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli constituency has brought fresh attention to a long-standing connection between the Gandhi family and this area. The roots of this relationship trace back to 1952 when Feroze Gandhi, Rahul's grandfather, first represented Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha. Over the years, this bond has only grown stronger, particularly under the leadership of his grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who won the seat in 1967, 1971, and 1980. Since then, it has been kept within the family or close allies. The announcement of Rahul Gandhi's candidacy in Rae Bareli not only underscores the sentimental significance of the region but also signals the end of an era, with Sonia Gandhi opting out of the race due to health concerns. This decision marks a transition for the Gandhi family's longstanding association with Rae Bareli. Adding to the historical backdrop is the fact that in 1980, Indira Gandhi contested from both Rae Bareli and Medak in undivided Andhra Pradesh, ultimately choosing to represent Medak. Arun Nehru, a prominent figure in Rajiv Gandhi's government, later won the Rae Bareli seat in a bypoll and retained it in 1984. Rae Bareli's Political Legacy Rae Bareli boasts a storied political legacy, with figures like Arun Nehru, Sheila Kaul, and Satish Sharma, all closely aligned with the Gandhi family, having represented the constituency in the past. Even during periods when the Congress party did not hold the seat, the ties with the Gandhi family remained unbroken. From Arun Nehru, who played a pivotal role in Rajiv Gandhi's administration, to Sheila Kaul, Indira Gandhi's aunt, Rae Bareli has stood as a stronghold of the Congress party. Congress Announces Candidates for Lok Sabha 2024, Rahul Gandhi to Contest from Rae Bareli Congress KL Sharma to Contest against BJP's Smriti Irani in Amethi

Here's What 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Schedule: Seven Phases from April 19 to June 1

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are set to unfold in seven phases, spanning from April 19 to June 1, with results expected on June 4. The Election Commission has revealed the schedule, highlighting that April 19 will witness the highest number of constituencies, totaling 102, while the fifth phase, on May 20, will see the lowest number at just 49. Here's a breakdown of the election phases across different states: Single Poll Date (22 states): Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu. Two-phase Voting (4 states): Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura, Manipur Three-phase Voting (2 states): Chhattisgarh, Assam Four-phase Voting (3 states): Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand Five-phase Voting (2 states): Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir Seven-phase Voting (3 states): Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal The Lok Sabha Election 2024 schedule is as follows: Phase 1 (April 19): 101 Seats Phase 2 (April 26): 89 Seats Phase 3 (May 7): 94 Seats Phase 4 (May 13): 96 Seats Phase 5 (May 20): 49 Seats Phase 6 (May 25): 57 Seats Phase 7 (June 1): 57 Seats Each phase covers various states and Union Territories, ensuring a comprehensive electoral process across the nation. In the first phase on April 19, a total of 102 seats will be contested across several states and Union Territories: Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal West, Arunachal East Assam: Sonitpur, Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur Bihar: Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Jamui Jammu & Kashmir: Udhampur Madhya Pradesh: Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat, Chhindwara Maharashtra: Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Chandrapur Manipur: Inner Manipur Meghalaya: Shillong, Tura Mizoram: Mizoram Nagaland: Nagaland Rajasthan: Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa, Nagaur Sikkim: Sikkim Tamil Nadu: Thiruvallur, Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukkudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari Tripura: Tripura West Uttar Pradesh: Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, Pilibhit West Bengal: Cooch Behar, Alipurduars, Jalpaiguri Chhattisgarh: Bastar Uttarakhand: Tehri Garhwal, Garhwal, Almora, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Hardwar Andaman & Nicobar: Andaman Nicobar Islands Lakshadweep: Lakshadweep Puducherry: Puducherry These elections aim to engage citizens in the democratic process, allowing them to exercise their right to vote and shape the future of their nation. Congress Announces Candidates for Lok Sabha 2024, Rahul Gandhi to Contest from Rae Bareli Congress KL Sharma to Contest against BJP's Smriti Irani in Amethi Trinamool Congress Accuses Congress Leader of Promoting BJP Agenda

Jagan slams Naidu for ignoring peoples welfare in Andhra Pradesh

Naraspur: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday slammed the Opposition leader and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu for ignoring the welfare of the people during his tenure as Chief Minister. Launching a blistering attack on Naidu during an election campaign, Jagan Mohan Reddy said the former did nothing for the people. If you ask Naidu, who worked as a Chief Minister three times for 14 years, about one good work he did for the welfare of people during his regime, there will be no reply from him, he said. Naidus entire tenure was full of unfulfilled promises and deception, he alleged. Thanking people for attending the election campaign in large numbers in scorching heat, Jagan Mohan Reddy asked them to think wisely before casting their vote as Naidu has once again came up with promises in the name of super-6. He sought to know what had happened to the promises including unemployment dole to youth and making a Singapore-like capital city in Andhra Pradesh. He (Naidu) ignored all the promises mentioned in the manifesto in 2014 and he is again announcing super-6 promises which cannot be fulfilled given his previous track record, Jagan Mohan Reddy said. Believing Naidus unfulfilled promises is nothing but putting your head into pythons mouth, he said, adding that he was fighting Kurukshetrayudham not only for electing MPs and MLAs but for continuing various welfare schemes being implemented by the YSRCP government in the last 59 months in the State.

AP SET 2024 Result Soon, Answer Key Objection Window Closes Today - Times Now

AP SET 2024 Result Soon, Answer Key Objection Window Closes Today Times Now

A.P. CM stone pelting case: Prime accused Satish moves bail plea in Vijayawada court

Satish contended that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy suffered the small laceration injury above his left eye when a big garland was being laid around his neck with the help of a crane but the injury was not caused by any stone

A.P. CM stone pelting case: Prime accused Satish moves bail plea in Vijayawada court - The Hindu

A.P. CM stone pelting case: Prime accused Satish moves bail plea in Vijayawada court The Hindu

In Andhra Pradesh's silk hub, weavers' cry for help echoes through election season - CNBCTV18

In Andhra Pradesh's silk hub, weavers' cry for help echoes through election season CNBCTV18

YS Viveka Murder Case: Breather for Avinash Reddy

Hyderabad: YSRCP MP YS Avinash Reddy got a major relief on Friday with the High Court dismissing a plea filed against his bail granted in connection with the case related to murder of former MP YS Vivekananda Reddy in 2019. Responding to a petition filed by Dastagiri, one of the key persons allegedly involved in the case, against Reddys bail, the court dismissed it bringing major relief to him. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), presently probing the murder case. The names of Avinash Reddy and his father were figured in the murder case that created a sensation before the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh in 2019. The CBI questioned Avinash Reddy in detail at its office in Koti in Hyderabad. However, he denied the allegations that he was involved in the case. On the intervening night of 14 and 15th March 2019, Vivekananda Reddy was brutally murdered in his residence and his body was found in a pool of blood in the bathroom inside his bedroom. Vivekananda Reddy is the younger brother of late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who was former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and uncle of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the present Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The deceased was an MLA of Pulivendula Constituency in 1985 and 1994, as Member of Lok Sabha from Kadapa Parliamentary Constituency in 1999 and 2004, as Member of A.P. Legislative Council in 2009. He served as Minister of Agriculture and Member of Parliamentary Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forest Constituted by the Central government in the year 2005. After the murder, the police registered an FIR in Pulivendula Urban Police Station Crime No. 84/2019 initially under Section 174 CrPc based on the complaint of M.V. Krishna Reddy, who was the Personal Assistant of the deceased and subsequently the section of law was altered to 302 IPC. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the then State Government probed the case, which was later taken over by the CBI.

Congress vows to remerge 5 villages near Bhadrachalam to Telangana from AP

Hyderabad: The Congress party in its special Lok Sabha poll manifesto for Telangana promised to remerge 5 villages near Bhadrachalam to Telangana from Andhra Pradesh if the party comes to power at the Centre. The villages are Yetapaka, Gundala, Purushottam Patnam, Kannegudam and Pichukalapadu and the residents of these five gram panchayats located on the Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

'Decided to Return to NDA as Andhra Pradesh in Distress': Chandrababu Naidu Says Confident of Defeating Jag - News18

'Decided to Return to NDA as Andhra Pradesh in Distress': Chandrababu Naidu Says Confident of Defeating Jag News18

Lok Sabha polls 2024 | In Andhra's silk hub, weavers' cry for help echoes through election season - Deccan Herald

Lok Sabha polls 2024 | In Andhra's silk hub, weavers' cry for help echoes through election season Deccan Herald

Miral Telugu trailer:Scary Thriller - Telugu News - Telugu Cinema - IndiaGlitz

Miral Telugu trailer:Scary Thriller - Telugu News Telugu Cinema - IndiaGlitz

People stay indoors as temp soars 45C in Prakasam - The Hans India

People stay indoors as temp soars 45C in Prakasam The Hans India

Severe heatwave likely in 28 mandals of Andhra Pradesh today

VIJAYAWADA : A severe heatwave is likely to prevail in 28 mandals and 156 mandals are likely to experience heatwave-like conditions on Friday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday has forecasted a severe heatwave at isolated places across the State on Friday and Saturday. IMD predicted warm nights at isolated places over Rayalaseema for the same period. On the contrary, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of speed 40-50 kmph are likely at isolated places over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema. On Thursday, AP largely experienced hot and humid conditions with daytime temperatures being above 40 degrees Celsius at most places. APSDMA in its daily bulletin stated that 33 mandals experienced severe heatwave, and 188 mandals reported heatwave-like conditions. Yendrapalli of Praksam district recorded the highest daytime temperature of 47.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Marakapuram in the same district at 47 degrees Celsius. Banaganapalle of Nandyal district recorded 46.7 degrees Celsius, Vepinapi in Nellore district reported 46.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Tavanampalle of Chittoor district and Jammalamadugu of YSR district recording 46.4 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, a few places in Rayalaseema and agency areas of the North Coastal AP received summer showers. Tavanampalle received around 2 cm rainfall, followed by 1.6 cm in Allur in Nellore and 1.3 cm in Mudigubba of Sri Satya Sai district.

Andhra Pradesh: Contestants case count - The New Indian Express

Andhra Pradesh: Contestants case count The New Indian Express

GMCANA donates Rs 5 lakh-equipment to GGH

GUNTUR: In a major boost to Guntur Government General Hospital, Guntur Medical College Alumni of North America (GMCANA) has donated equipment worth Rs 5 lakh to the anesthesia department, informed hospital superintendent Dr Kiran Kumar on Thursday. He said that the GMCANA group has come forward to construct two more blocks in the existing Dr Podila Prasad Super Speciality and Trauma Centre on the hospital premises with Rs 10 crore. The centre is a gift from GMCANA, members of alumni of Guntur Medical College, ably supported by a magnanimous donation of Rs 5 crore by Venkat Prasad Podila, a gastroenterologist settled in the USA. The facility was developed in 2014 in Public Private Partnership mode with the State government. It has taken six years to be completed and is the first major additional facility to GGH in several years. The building is centred around a trauma centre with supportive services, including an emergency care centre, imaging centre, laboratory services, operation theatres. As the patients at mother and child care unit have been suffering with the shortage of beds and lack of the latest facilities, the government has decided to construct a new building for the unit about eight years ago. The GMCANA has chipped in to provide 50 per cent of the total cost. Though the works started, due to various reasons, they were delayed. So GMCANA has decided to fund the project completely.

AP SET 2024 answer key objection window closes today; Direct link to raise objections now

The Andhra Pradesh State Eligibility Test (AP SET) 2024's answer key objection window closes today, May 3rd. Candidates dissatisfied with the provisional answer key can raise objections through the official website using their login details. The provisional answer keys will remain accessible until the deadline. The exam consisted of two papers: Paper 1 (General Paper) and Paper 2 (Subject-specific). Candidates are reminded to pay a non-refundable fee for each challenged question. The final answer key will be released post-review of objections.

Killing of family of four: Patamata police probing doctors financial status

VIJAYAWADA : As the reasons behind the extreme step taken by 40-year-old Orthopaedic surgeon Darawath Srinivas, who died by suicide after killing four of his family members on April 30, remained suspicious, the Patamata police are probing Srinivas financial and business transactions to ascertain the reasons. According to police and family members, Srinivas killed his mother Ramanamma, wife Usha Rani and two children Sailaja and Srihan before ending his life at his residence in Gurunanak Colony under Patamata police station limits on Tuesday morning. The preliminary investigation carried out by Patamata circle inspector DKN Mohan Reddy reported, He, Srinivas, has been planning to kill himself and family members for the past ten days and was seen depressed. His phone and other electronic gadgets were seized and sent for analysis to ascertain the financial and business transactions, said the Patamata police. Srinivas earlier worked in various private hospitals as an orthopaedic surgeon and later started a hospital of his own. He opened Srija hospitals in Kasturibaipet some months ago and could not achieve the expected outcome. For setting up the hospital, he took loans from various banks and private financiers. After the hospital ran into losses and incurred huge debts, Srinivas was depressed and handed over the hospital to another person in order to reduce the financial burden. Patamata police sent viscera samples of four family members to the forensic laboratory to ascertain whether Srinivas gave any sedative before slitting their throats.

No change in Muslim quota: Chandrababu Naidu

VIJAYAWADA : Taking a dig at the claim of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy that his government fulfilled 99% of the promises made in the YSRC election manifesto, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday sought to know how could he make such tall claims after ignoring majority of peoples issues in the last five years. Addressing an election meeting at Rayachoti in the erstwhile Kadapa district as part of Praja Galam, along with former Chief Minister and Rajampet BJP candidate N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the TDP chief mentioned that though Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had pressed the button, he never publicised like how Jagan has been trumpeting it. Did Jagan implement total prohibition? Did he abolish the contributory pension scheme? Did he release the job calendar? he asked. Assuring the Muslims of continuing the 4% reservation for them, Naidu asserted that the TDP is committed to the welfare of minorities. The TDP supremo questioned Jagan as to why he is publishing his photos on pattadar passbooks, and announced that the Land Titling Act will be repealed soon after the formation of the TDP-led NDA government in the State. We are going to win the elections to lay the foundation for development of the State, he averred. Asking the people whether their living standards have improved in the past five years or whether their income has gone up, he said the YSRC government did nothing for the development of the backward Rayalaseema region. Though officials had submitted a report on prevailing drought in several mandals of Kadapa district, the Chief Minister simply ignored it, he alleged. Naidu urged the people to question Jagan whether their properties belong to them or him to publish his photo on pattadar passbooks. Everyone in the State knows who killed Babai (uncle), he said, while mentioning the murder of YS Vivekananda Reddy. If Jagan continues in politics there is no security for the lives and properties of the people. Already, Jagan has completely destroyed the State. Hence, the NDA has designed its manifesto in such a way that it takes care of the safety and security of all sections of people, besides ensuring their welfare, he said. Listing out the benefits the people will get once the TDP-led NDA comes to power in the State, he said it will allocate `1.5 lakh crore for BC welfare.

Take money, but dont vote for YSRC: Sharmila

VIJAYAWADA : Painting the YSRC as a party mired in corruption, APCC chief YS Sharmila asked the people to take the money offered by the ruling party to vote for it without any hesitation. Addressing an election meeting in Jammalamadugu on Thursday, she said after taking the amount dont vote for the YSRC as it had robbed them of their money. Think and vote, she urged. Asserting that she and her party do not have the ill-gotten money, but only will to fight for justice and sincerity to serve the people, the APCC chief urged the people to give their mandate to the grand old party. Reminding the gathering that she was born at Campbell Hospital in Jammalamadugu, Sharmila said earlier in the day she interacted with RTPP staff and was astonished to learn that the promise of regularising their jobs was not fulfilled. Stating that Jagan is not accessible to the people, the APCC chief observed, We may get appointment of the God, but not Jagan. On Kadapa steel plant, Sharmila said her father YSR laid the foundation stone for it, but till now, there has been no progress. Ironically, Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone as the Chief Minister, and later Jagan also laid another foundation, but the project has not moved an inch, she said. Stating that had the Special Category Status given to the State 10 years ago, there would have been several industries by now. The Congress promises to give the Special Category Status and keep every promise made to AP at the time of State bifurcation, she said, seeking the peoples mandate for the party.

Gadkari promises prioritised development of infrastructure in Araku

VISAKHAPATNAM : Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has assured the people of Araku Lok Sabha constituency of prioritised infrastructure development, encompassing roads, drinking water supply, electricity, communication and irrigation facilities. Addressing an election meeting at Venkampeta in Parvathipuram Manyam district on Thursday, he reiterated the BJP-led NDA governments commitment to the uplift of tribal communities, while seeking the peoples mandate for Araku Lok Sabha BJP candidate Kothapalli Geetha. He emphasised the Modi governments focus on various development initiatives, particularly in the realm of water conservation and supply. He underscored the significance of river-linking projects and urged concerted efforts towards water conservation. Expressing concern over rural depopulation due to migration to urban areas, he highlighted the decline in the number of cultivators in villages. Referring to water scarcity, Gadkari recalled his tenure as the Water Resources Minister, mentioning the sanctioning of the Polavaram project for Andhra Pradesh. However, he expressed disappointment over the projects delay, attributing it to political factors within the State. Gadkari stressed the potential for economic growth through water availability in rural, agricultural and tribal areas, citing a possible two-fold increase in the countrys growth rate. He lamented the current state of agriculture and allied industries, which contribute only 12% to the GDP, and attributed rural-to-urban migration to flawed economic policies. Under the leadership of Modi, Gadkari outlined plans to strengthen rural, agricultural and tribal economies. He pledged support for diversifying agriculture towards the energy and power sectors, citing ongoing road infrastructure projects such as the Visakhapatnam-Raipur connectivity (595 km) costing `35,000 crore and the Rajamahendravaram-Vizianagaram greenfield express highway costing `22,000 crore. Additionally, Gadkari mentioned the completion of the Saluru bypass on NH 43. He later took part in an Elite Meet in Anakapalle along with BJP Lok Sabha candidate CM Ramesh.

Andhra Pradesh: 97 per cent pensions disbursed in two days

VIJAYAWADA : As much as 96.67 per cent of the social security pensions were disbursed to the beneficiaries in the last two days. In a press release, Principal Secretary (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) Sasibhushan Kumar said that the State government has released an amount of Rs 1,945.39 crore for the disbursement of social welfare pensions to 65,49,864 pensioners in the State. The pension distribution started on May 1 and as of date, 63,31,470 pensions (96.67%) have been disbursed. According to him, as many as 15,13,752 pensions (91.34%) have been disbursed out of 16,57,361 at the doorsteps of beneficiaries, while, 48,17,718 pensions (98.47%) have been disbursed out of 48,92,503 into the bank accounts of pensioners through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Stating that pension amounts for as many as 74,399 beneficiaries could not be transferred due failed transactions citing inactive bank accounts, the Principal Secretary in the statement clarified that the pensions to these beneficiaries will be provided at their doorsteps. The required funds for the failed transactions will be made available to the respective village/ward secretariats on May 3 and door-to-door disbursement will take place on May 4. Meanwhile, huge crowds of people at banks were observed at several places across the State on Thursday to verify if the pension amount was credited to their accounts. On Wednesday, a 80-year-old man identified as Mudragada Subbanna, a resident of Pichkaguntapalle in Kakularam village in Lakkireddyapalle mandal of Annamayya district, reportedly collapsed due to severe heat while returning from the bank. The man visited the bank to check if his pension was credited to his bank account. But, with banks closed on the account of May Day, he was returning when he collapsed near the bank and died.

Nalgonda Gaddar Folk Star Strikes A Chord In Political Arena

Narsi Reddy, or Nalgonda Gaddar, shapes political campaigns in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with his folk melodies, connecting with audiences and supporting various leaders across parties, making him a sought-after asset.

Weather Today (May 3): Heatwaves Over Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra - The Weather Channel

Weather Today (May 3): Heatwaves Over Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra The Weather Channel

Jagan not fit for seeking votes: Pawan

VIJAYAWADA : Lambasting YSRC president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for stating that he will fulfil the dreams of people with his schemes, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan sought to know what dreams has the YSRC fulfilled. Addressing an election meeting in Palakonda on Thursday, he asked, Has he (Jagan) fulfilled the dreams of youth, who aspired to get government jobs, by conducting a mega DSC? Has he fulfilled the dreams of the farmers in the region by modernising the Thotapalle project? Charging the CM with hiking the price of liquor Rs 60 to Rs 200 per quarter, the actor-politician found fault with Jagans lack of response to the missing of 30,000 women in the State. How can such a person fulfil our dreams? Is he even qualified to ask for votes? he lashed out. Reiterating that Uttarandhara and its dialect are dear to his heart, Pawan recalled the contribution of noted poet Sri Sri, and linguist Gidugu Ramamurthy. I learnt the basics of acting from this region, he said. The JSP chief found fault with the YSRC government for stopping the TRICOR (Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Tribes Co-operative Finance Corporation Limited) loans and subsidies for operating small businesses. Instead of providing employment, the ruling party has snatched away job opportunities, he alleged.

YSRC launches Jagan Kosam Siddham door-to-door campaign

VIJAYAWADA: The YSRC has embarked on yet another door-to-door campaign, Jagan Kosam Siddham (We are ready for Jagan), to take the promises made under the YSRCs manifesto - Navaratanalu Plus - to all 1.67 crore households in the State. Previously, under the partys Siddham and Memanta Siddham campaigns, YSRC president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy toured the length and breadth of the State, highlighting the initiatives taken by his government over the past 58 months. Launching the new campaign, YSRC general secretary and government advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said, As part of Jagan Kosam Siddham, the partys activists will visit every household and tell people about how Jagan had fulfilled 99% of the promises made in the 2019 manifesto. They will also tell people what Jagan will do for them, if voted to power once again. He explained that the party members will personally visit every household and deliver Jagans vision directly to the common people. The message will be taken to the 47,000 booths set up by the party across the State. Through this campaign, ordinary citizens will also be declared as Jagans star campaigners, Sajjala said. He added, We have already selected 12 commoners as our star campaigners. While other parties choose movie stars, we have chosen people of the State to be our star campaigners. They will be campaigning for the party and spread the word on how Jagan is working to uplift the society.

Sajjala demands BJPs stand on Land Titling Act

VIJAYAWADA : The YSRC on Thursday demanded the State BJP unit to spell out its stand on scrapping the Land Titling Act, an election promise of in the manifesto of its allies - TDP and JSP. Stating that the Land Titling Act was based on the recommendations of the NDA government at the Centre, YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu is alleging that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy would usurp the lands of the people through the Land Titling Act. Is Naidu implying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to take away the lands of the people in the entire country, Sajjala asked and demanded the BJP State unit to question its poll partner on this count. Sajjala produced the documents and office memorandum of the NITI Aayog, which in a meeting on October 16, 2019 constituted a committee to draft the Model Act and Rules on Conclusive Land Titling with the former special chief secretary of Telangana, VK Agarwal, as its chairman. Sajjala also produced the communication of the then NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant to Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba where he mentioned the need of an Act for documenting ownership of land. In the communication, Kant had noted that land continues to be one that has enormous economic, social, and symbolic relevance for the majority of poor, especially the marginal farmers, tribals and other backward categories. He clearly mentioned that based on the directions of the Union Government, the NITI Aayog has drafted the Model Act on Conclusive Land Titling and Rules. He had hoped that they would be able to assist the State governments in amending their respective revenue codes and set up an alternative mechanism for land titling and transition towards provision of conclusive titles to their people. Sajjala also demanded the TDP to spell out its stand on 4% reservations to the Muslims, which the BJP has opposed.

I will resolve perennial problems of Rajahmundry: Margani Bharatram - The New Indian Express

I will resolve perennial problems of Rajahmundry: Margani Bharatram The New Indian Express

I will resolve perennial problems of Rajahmundry: Margani Bharatram

Margani Bharatram, a film actor turned politician, is the first BC MP elected to the Lok Sabha from Rajahmundry. He did his management degree in the USA. His father Margani Nageswara Rao is a well-known BC leader in the State. He is popular as Common Man MP in the erstwhile undivided East Godavari district for his easy accessibility to people. The sitting YSRC MP is in the fray from Rajahmundry City Assembly segment. In an interview with KV Sailendra, Margani Bharatram explained his vision to develop Rajahmundry City if elected. What made you contest in the Assembly election? I have entered the fray as per the directions of YSRC supremo and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. I am happy to contest the MLA seat. As an MLA, I will have an opportunity to concentrate more on development of Rajahmundry City. I have taken it as a challenge. What are your achievements as an MP of Rajahmundry? The Centre has sanctioned six flyovers for Rajahmundry Lok Sabha constituency to ease traffic congestion on highways. Morampudi flyover is fast coming up. Road Over Bridges are also coming up in Anaparthi and Nidadavolu Assembly constituencies. I got Rs 375 crore sanctioned for the development of Madhurapudi airport and Rs 275 crore for Rajahmundry railway station. The State government has also sanctioned Rs 125 crore for various development projects in the city. Happy Street, Food Plaza and Pushkar Plaza have come up in the city. The beautification of the Cultural Capital of AP has also been taken up as part of the development projects. I am planning to set up Fashion Street in the city. On law and order front, the blade batch menace in the city has been completely wiped out, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Are you confidant of breaching the TDP bastion? The BJP and TDP MLAs did nothing for the development of the city though they represented Rajahmundry in 2014 and 2019. The sitting TDP MLA, who is reluctant to meet the people of the constituency, has failed to ensure its development. The electorate is frustrated with the dismal performance of the TDP MLA. Hence, they will certainly give their massive mandate to me. How do you tackle the major issues of the city? The city needs proper underground drainage system. The drinking water supply in the city should also be strengthened. I am the first MP to speak in the Lok Sabha underlining the need for cleansing Godavari River. I have also got a government medical college sanctioned for Rajahmundry by taking the matter to the Chief Ministers notice. I promise to resolve the long pending civic issues of the city, besides focusing on infrastructure development, if elected. What is the peoples response to your election campaign? I have been interacting with a cross section of people in the city as part of my electioneering. The response is tremendous. I am also getting support from different communities in the city. I am confidant of winning the election with a huge majority. The YSRC will also achieve landslide victory in the State for its commitment to the peoples welfare and development. How do you assess the TDP-led tripartite alliance? TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan have formed an opportunistic alliance with the BJP, unable to face the YSRC in the elections. The plans of tripartite alliance to grab power in the State should be thwarted to ensure that welfare schemes and development programmes initiated by Jagan continue without any hindrance.

YSRC, JSP diligent to bag votes in Kapu bastion

VIJAYAWADA : Part of the Diviseema region, a small deltaic island in Krishna district, Avanigadda is one of the seven Assembly constituencies under Machilipatnam parliament segment. The segment is well known as a bastion of Kapu leaders, where the electorate belonging to the community make up the largest proportion of more than 35 per cent, followed by fishermen at 13 per cent, Mala at 11 per cent, Madiga at 10 per cent, Shettibalija at 10 per cent, Kamma at 7 per cent, Yadava at 5 per cent, Vaishya at 3 per cent, Devangs at 2 per cent, and Muslims at 2 per cent. Considering these caste equations, the YSRC and JSP have fielded candidates hailing from Kapu community to contest the seat. While the YSRC has nominated sitting MLA Simhadri Ramesh Babu, Jana Sena has fielded Mandali Buddha Prasad, expecting to garner a significant share of Kapu votes. Nevertheless, the competition is poised to intensify, especially considering the substantial support among the lower and middle-class populace who have benefited from YSRCs welfare schemes, across other social groups. Enduring frequent cyclones, the constituency has been plagued with several problems for decades. Filled with potholes, the condition of the roads, especially on the Koduru-Avanigadda main road, in the Assembly segment is deplorable forcing the commuters to take lengthy detours spanning 13km. Though repairs have commenced, the overall road infrastructure remains a pressing concern for the constituency. In addition to this, most of the farmers are facing numerous challenges due to the lack of irrigation water. Although this issue affects all areas within the constituency, it is particularly acute in Nagayalanka and Koduru mandals. Moreover, the people are also facing problems due to a lack of drinking water in coastal villages such as Edurumondi, Kammalamula, Nali, Hamsala Deevi, Palakayathippa, Machavaram, and others. However, residents believe that despite the governments provision of water through tanks, it is insufficient to meet their needs. Parankusam Ravi, a resident of Avanigadda, expressed his concern over the authorities delay in desilting the main drains and agriculture drains, leading to the sinking of crop fields even with small rains. He mentioned that the outfall sluice, constructed during the British era, has been neglected over time. Even during the modernisation of the delta, necessary repairs were not carried out, resulting in the inundation of fields. Highlighting the delay in construction of Edurumondi-Etimoga bridge across Krishna river, which connects the main land with villages including Edurumondi, Etimoga, Elichetla Dibba, Nachu Gunta, and Gollamandala, D Govardhan, a resident of Yedurlanka village, said that with no other option, the residents are still risking their lives and relying on country boats to cross the river. Govardhan emphasised that this issue has persisted for a significant period, with both governments responsible for its resolution. He lamented the lack of effort to address it. Additionally, Govardhan mentioned the pressing need for the Yedurlanka Bridge, a problem raised during the YSRC tenure and not yet addressed. Avanigadda MLA and YSRC candidate Simhadri Ramesh expressed that it is encouraging to see the overwhelming support from underprivileged and middle-class people for CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and his schemes. Ramesh highlighted his efforts, including his opposition to GO 22A, which troubled farmers owning 17,840 acres of agricultural land in the constituency during Chandrababus tenure. He also mentioned his contribution for the establishment of a dialysis centre at Avanigadda Government Hospital. Regarding the construction of the Edurumondi Bridge, he acknowledged delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and alleged interference from Machilipatnam parliament member Balashowry Vallabbhaneni, resulting in a standstill despite the allocation of Rs 110 crore.

All eyes on YS family bastion Pulivendula

KADAPA: Election to the Pulivendula Assembly constituency will be closely watched as the segment holds a record of sorts for electing members of the same family for the past 46 years. In 1978, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the former Chief Minister, won the Assembly segment for the first time on a Congress ticket. Since then, members of his family have consecutively won the seat for 13 elections, including three by-polls. YSRs son and current Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has represented the seat for the last two terms and is now vying for a hat-trick win. Is TDPs Mareddy Ravindranath Reddy (BTech Ravi), who defeated YSRs brother YS Vivekanada Reddy in the 2017 MLC elections, capable of winning the family bastion that Pulivendula is? Will Jagans vote margin drop from the previous 90,110. Will YS Sharmila contesting the elections from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat impact the poll prospects of her cousin and two-time MP YS Avinash Reddy? These are all million-dollar questions, whose answers will be known once the results are out on June 4. Both YSR and Jagan strived for the development of Pulivendula and transformed it into a model town. Till a few decades ago, Pulivendula was bereft of even basic infrastructure. In recognition of the contributions of the former chief minister, Kadapa district was renamed after YSR. A number of differences emerged within the YS family, following the sudden demise of Rajasekhara Reddy. His wife YS Vijayalakshmi, popularly known as Vijayamma, contested the by-election in 2010 and won unanimously on a Congress ticket. The first split in the family came to the fore when Jagan departed from the Congress. Vijayamma once again contested the by-election, but this time against her brother-in-law YS Vivekananda Reddy, who represented the Congress at the time. She won the elections with a resounding mandate as she polled 81,373 more votes against Viveka. Following the bifurcation of the State, Vivekananda Reddy, too, quit the Congress and joined his nephews party YSRC. Just before the elections in 2019, he was murdered. The YSRC won the 2019 elections with a thumping majority as it swept 151 of the total 175 Assembly and 22 of the 25 Parliament seats. However, post the poll, the YS family saw a rift between the siblings YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and YS Sharmila. Ulimella Lake Sharmila founded the YSR Telangana Party, but did not contest the 2023 Assembly elections in the neighbouring State as she merged her party with the Congress. Later, she was appointed as the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president. Now, she is all set to take on her cousin YS Avinash Reddy, an accused in the murder of YS Vivekananda Reddy, in the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. Fishing in these troubled waters are TDP and its allies, who want to take advantage of the situation and gain from the split in the votes of the YS family. Jagan has lost popularity. People want Chandrababu Naidu to come back to power. We are confident of victory, asserted BTech Ravi. Pulivendula constituency encompasses seven mandals Simhadripuram, Lingala, Thonduru, Pulivendula, Vemula, Vempalle, and Chakarayapeta which is located in the western part of Kadapa district. After the constituency was formed in 1955 as per the Delimitation Orders (1955), Penchakala Basi Reddy from Congress won the first election. He lost to Chava Bali Reddy, an independent candidate, in 1962. However, he won the seat again in 1967 and retained it in the 1972. YS Rajasekhara Reddy held the seat from 1978 to 1989. In the 1989 elections, he contested for Kadapa Lok Sabha and his younger brother YS Vivekananda Reddy won Pulivendula. In the 1991 by-election, their other brother YS Purushothama Reddy won the seat. In 1994, Viveka won the seat. However, in 1999, YSR returned to State politics and held the seat till his demise in 2009. It may be noted that the TDP has never won the Pulivendula Assembly constituency. When YSR served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for five years and three months from 2004 to 2009, Pulivendula saw a spurt of growth. It was upgraded to a Grade-II municipality from a Panchayat. Not just Pulivendula, but the whole of Kadapa district, which was formed 200 years ago and ranked the lowest in terms of growth, saw significant development. During YSRs era, the Kadapa PG centre was upgraded to Yogi Vemana University, and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), a medical college, airport, Kopparthy Industrial Park and Kadapa Ring Road were built. Beautification works of Buggavanka were also taken up during his regime. In Proddatur town, an engineering college was established and a ring road was constructed. In Pulivendula constituency, JNTU College, IIIT-Idupulapaya, Food Technology College, APCARLA (Andhra Pradesh Centre for Advanced Research on Livestock), Industrial corridors and spinning mills were established. Most importantly, Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) was set up to mine Uranium. YSR also completed the construction of Pulivendula - Kadiri Ghat Road and lift irrigation for Lingala canal. However, after his demise, the development works in the district were stalled until Jagan was elected. Pulivendula government school In the last five years, Jagan ensured the establishment of a medical college, a new hospital, a nursing college, and APSRTC bus stand, beautification of the town, a mini-secretariat, and advancement in agriculture and horticulture. The YSRC president also established the Aditya Birla garment unit, which has so far 1,500 jobs under phase-1. The project is expected to create a total of 2,100 jobs. The Apache unit is still under construction. With Jagan staying at Tadepalle as he is also the Chief Minister, Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy took care of the constituency in his steed. Micro-irrigation was neglected, disappointing farmers engaged in horticulture. Out of 7,000 Jagananna houses proposed, not even 300 were constructed. Works for the water grid, taken up with `480 crore, are going on at a snails pace. Works to provide safe drinking water to villages affected by UCIL have also not been completed yet. Voters in the region believe that work done in the district was not as expected as several proposed industries are yet to be set up. Some sections of the people in the constituency thought that instead of focusing on beautification and infrastructure, focus on job creation would have been better. There is no doubt that the YS family has developed the constituency. However, had the focus been on improving job opportunities, it would have been much better, said M Ramprasad, a businessman in Pulivendula.

Echoes of Andhra's Silk Weavers' Plight in Election Season

Echoes of Andhra's Silk Weavers' Plight in Election Season The traditional handloom saree-making skills in Dharmavaram, known as the silk city of Andhra Pradesh, are battling for survival, and the elections have revived hopes among the weavers that their voice will be heard through a backward caste BJP candidate fielded from here. Known for their exceptional skills, the weavers of Dharmavaram assembly constituency were the first to make a saree that could be packed in a matchbox way back in 1918. Recently, they presented a massive silk saree measuring 180 feet in length and weighing 16 kg to the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya. The weavers of Dharmavaram have long been renowned for their intricate designs and exceptional quality, with their sarees often drawing comparisons to the iconic Kanjivaram sarees of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. Yet, in recent years, their once-thriving industry has faced numerous challenges, from the rise of powerloom production to the influx of cheaper alternatives flooding the market. At the heart of this struggle lies a dwindling workforce, as younger generations are lured away by the promise of more lucrative opportunities elsewhere. The remaining weavers, many of whom have dedicated their entire lives to this art form, now find themselves grappling with soaring costs of raw materials and dwindling government support. ''It's becoming increasingly difficult to sustain our craft,'' laments K Adinarayana, a 50-year-old weaver from Kothapeta colony. ''The state government has stopped providing the annual subsidy of Rs 24,000 that we once relied upon to offset the rising costs of silk and zari.'' According to weavers, silk prices have more than doubled to Rs 5,600 per kg now from Rs 2,600 per kg in 2011. Even the price of pure zari has gone up to Rs 5,000 for half a kilo from Rs 1,200 in 2011. Adinarayana further said he is finding it hard to get a Rs 50,000 loan from the 'Mudra Loan scheme' to buy raw material in the absence of a guarantor. Compounding their woes is the issue of counterfeit sarees flooding the market, with unscrupulous traders passing off powerloom products as genuine Dharmavaram handloom sarees, deceiving consumers and undercutting the authentic artisans. Another weaver, K Shankaraiah (50), shared that he too did not receive the subsidy amount in the last two years and demanded that the government make norms easier for weavers to avail loans under the Mudra scheme. In the absence of sufficient retail sale points and a 'silk mark' tag to assure the purity of Dharmavaram silk sarees, the demand for handloom sarees is declining. The growing powerloom sarees in the nearby Hindupur and Madanpalle assembly constituencies have further aggravated their problems. As the upcoming elections approach, the weavers of Dharmavaram have found a glimmer of hope in the form of Y. Satya Kumar, a backward caste BJP candidate. They believe that by electing one of their own, their long-neglected concerns will finally be heard and addressed at the highest levels of government. There are currently 48,000 weavers, 19,000 looms, and 2,480 saree shops in the constituency. ''For too long, our community's needs have been overlooked by the upper-caste politicians who have traditionally represented this constituency,'' says Girraj Nagesh, a former YSR Congress leader who has since joined the TDP. ''With Kumar as our voice in the assembly, we hope to revive the fortunes of our dying craft,'' he said. Besides BJP's Satya Kumar, sitting YSR Congress MLA Kethireddy Venkata Rami Reddy who is seeking a second term from this seat and Congress' Rangana Aswartha Narayana are contesting from this seat. However, the road ahead remains uncertain, as the weavers grapple with the task of preserving not only their livelihood but also a rich cultural heritage that has been woven into the fabric of Dharmavaram for generations. As the election season unfolds, the fate of this ancient art form hangs in the balance, with its survival hinging on the ability of its practitioners to adapt and evolve while retaining the essence of their timeless traditions.

Viscera samples of doctor, his family members preserved, says police - The Hindu

Viscera samples of doctor, his family members preserved, says police The Hindu

Democracy will be in danger if BJP retains power at the Centre: Uttam

HYDERABAD : Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday said that democracy would be in peril if the BJP retains power at the Centre and Narendra Modi takes oath as the prime minister for the third time. Addressing a series of meetings in Mothe, Nadigudem, Munagala and Kodad in Suryapet district in support of Congress Nalgonda Lok Sabha candidate K Raghuveera Reddy, Uttam alleged that Modi did not categorically say that the BJP would not change the Constitution if it retains power. If the BJP wins again, theres a danger of reservation system getting scrapped, Uttam alleged. The BJP government may not change the cover page of the Constitution. But step-by-step, it will replace the provisions to implement the RSS agenda of scrapping reservations, he added. Uttam alleged that Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders were targeting the four per cent Muslim reservations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The RSS and BJP have historically opposed reservations and advocated changing the Constitution, he added. The Congress stands for social justice. It increased reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs proportionate to their population. If we regain power at the Centre, we will lift the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations, he said. The Irrigation minister also slammed BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao for spreading false propaganda against the Congress government in Telangana.

Andhra Pradesh Specialty hospitals to stop EHS services from tomorrow

Vijayawada: The members of Andhra Pradesh Specialty Hospitals Association (ASHA) here on Thursday informed that their network hospitals decided to stop cashless EHS services from Saturday. In ...

Shocking Point Behind KTR Predicting Jagan's Win?.. - Greatandhra

Shocking Point Behind KTR Predicting Jagan's Win?.. Greatandhra

Labourers in the lurch

With construction projects in Vijayawada stagnating due to the governments new sand policy, labourers are struggling to secure daily wages, exacerbating unemployment rates. Despite efforts to access welfare schemes, the lack of employment opportunities highlights the widening gap between development initiatives and the plight of workers in the informal sector, writes Nellore Sravani

Illegal liquor sale: Police arrest two individuals, seize 2,592 bottles in Tamil Nadu

VILLUPURAM : In a recent operation spanning two days, the police apprehended two individuals and confiscated a total of 2,592 liquor bottles from two locations in Brammadesam. Based on a tip-off, officers from the district prohibition enforcement wing conducted a raid at a suspected residence on Mariamman Temple Street; during which they found 1,872 liquor bottles hidden for illegal sale. The owner of the house, A Datchinamorthy (54) was taken into custody. Further investigation revealed that his son, D Viji (32) who manages the bar attached to a TASMAC outlet had procured the liquor in advance for illegal resale at inflated prices. He is currently absconding and a case has been registered against him. On Thursday, acting on another tip-off, the Brammadesam Police Station team raided a residence in Ariyandangal village, where they seized 720 hidden liquor bottles. The occupant of the house, G Vignesh (26) from Kuppandangal village, Tiruvannamalai was arrested. Investigation revealed that the liquor was stored for illicit sale. Legal proceedings are underway as the police continue their inquiries. Andhra duo arrested for smuggling liquor and ale In a separate incident near Vanur, police intercepted a duo attempting to smuggle liquor and ale from Puducherry into Andhra Pradesh. Officers from the Kottakuppam Prohibition Enforcement Wing stationed a check-post in the Puducherry-Tindivanam Bypass Road apprehended two individuals travelling in auto-rickshaws. Upon inspection, they discovered 206 liquor bottles and ten litres of ale concealed in two plastic cans. The arrested individuals, identified as Dhasha Jeenath (32) and Vengatramana (40) from Andhra Pradesh, were transporting liquor and ale from Puducherry to various locations in Andhra Pradesh, stated police sources.

Kerala: 2 die as truck carrying fish crashes into metro pillar

KOCHI: A truck carrying fish from Andhra Pradeshs Nellore to Kochi rammed a metro rail pillar at Muttom near Aluva in the wee hours of Thursday, killing the driver and his co-driver. The deceased have been identified as Sheik Habeeb Basha, 49, of Ahamad Nagar, Nellore, and Yallanthi Malikarjuna, 42, Bhagath Singh Colony, Nellore. According to police, the accident took place around 2am. The truck crashed into metro rail pillar no. 187 at Muttom. The entire front cabin of the truck was damaged in the impact. People who gathered at the accident spot immediately launched a rescue operation. After a half-an-hour-long attempt, both were pulled out of the truck and rushed to a nearby hospital. However, the duo succumbed to injuries at the hospital. Police suspect that Basha might have dozed off while driving. The bodies have been shifted to a hospital in Aluva. Their mortal remains will be handed over to relatives after post-mortem examination. The fish inside the lorry was later shifted to another container vehicle in the morning. Aluva police have registered a case and started a probe into the incident. Meanwhile, another accident took place at the same spot after a car slowed down to watch the lorry that hit the metro pillar. The car driver suffered minor injuries.

Kerala: Climate change reality gets heatwave check

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Valerian Isaac, a traditional fisherman from Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram, is deeply concerned about the impact of climate change on his livelihood and the overall quality of life. He used to enjoy his summer with the sea cooling down when folks in the town sweltered in the heat. The situation however has changed dramatically. The sea has warmed up significantly. Consequently, the fish have migrated to cooler waters away from the coast. Previously, we relied on good winds and occasional rains to alleviate the heat. But this summer has proven to be the toughest yet, Isaac said. With the dwindling catch, only a handful of fishermen dare to venture out into the sea in his area. And they are not the only ones suffering. Adverse weather has also affected autorickshaw drivers, tour operators, vegetable vendors and those in the construction sector. As the government considers imposing further restrictions on operations between 11am and 3pm, the livelihoods of even more sectors hang in the balance. Isaac, like many others, had not heard of the term El Nino, a climate phenomenon responsible for warming the sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean and often cited as a primary cause of harsh summers. However, he, along with the rest of the populace, has become acquainted with the term heatwave in recent times. Its sudden appearance in the vocabulary coincided with its confirmation in Palakkad on April 26, the day of the general elections. Such weather was once considered unusual, mostly associated with the traditional hot regions of the country. The India Meteorological Department first issued a heatwave alert in Kerala in 2016, the warmest year on record for the state, primarily focused on Palakkad. This year, the focus has again been on Palakkad which experienced scorching temperatures throughout April, with Thrissur following suit. Subsequently, heatwave alerts were issued for Kollam, Kozhikode and Alappuzha, as temperatures in these districts deviated from the norm significantly. A majority of those belonging to the fishing community in Perumathura in Thiruvananthapuram are spending their time under the shade of coconut palms. The reason being the roofs of their homes are made of asbestos and tin sheets, which increase the heat Weather experts assert the situation is similar across south and east India. An Asia-wide heatwave map published by international weather agencies depicts most countries in the region coloured in red. The temperature rise is attributed to global warming induced by climate change. The impact of El Nino exacerbates the situation, said D Sivananda Pai, senior scientist and ADGM of India Meteorological Department. According to him, the dry weather in Kerala has increased the temperature. In Palakkad, the relative humidity is now in the 30-40% range in comparison to the normal 60-80%. Thats why the temperature remains high. The condition is worse for people living in more humid areas as high moisture content does not help reduce body temperature, he said. Like this year, 2016 too was an El Nino year. While it was the warmest year in recent history, the damage, technically, was limited to a heatwave alert in Palakkad. What makes the conditions worse than 2016 is the absence of summer rain, especially in the northern districts, and the land use and land cover changes because of urbanisation, said Rajeevan Erikkulam, a meteorologist with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority. Weather experts pointed out the situation is likely to improve by the second week of May when summer rains are expected to be more regular. The El Nino effect is expected to be neutral during the time of monsoon, but the experts have a warning the next El Nino year could be much worse than 2024. What is heatwave? Qualitatively, heatwave is a condition of air temperature that becomes fatal to human body when exposed. Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal. Criterion for declaring heatwave Heatwave is considered to be in effect if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40Celsius or more in the plains, at least 30Celsius or more in hilly regions, and 37 Celsius or more in coastal regions. The departure from normal is 4.5 to 6.4Celsius. If the above criteria is met in at least two stations in a meteorological sub-division for at least two consecutive days, a heatwave is declared on the second day. A woman carrying a pedestal fan on a two-wheeler in Kochi. With mercury level going up, residents are opting for various methods to beat the scorching heat Heatwave prone states Heatwave generally occurs over the plains of northwest India and central, east and north peninsular India from March to June. It covers Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Sometimes, it occurs over Tamil Nadu and Kerala too. Impact of heatwave Water stress Health problems Livelihood problems Heatwave in Kerala First alert - Palakkad, in 2016 First alert - Kozhikode - 2020 First confirmation this year - Palakkad, on April 26 First alert in Alappuzha - April 30 Reasons for heatwave Global warming El Nino Absence of summer rain Urbanisation Number of days above 40 degrees Celsius in April in Kerala 2024 - 16 (15 in Palakkad) 2023 - 3 2016 - 14 1989 - 8

Heatwave in AP: Mercury touches 46.2C in Nandyal - The Times of India

Heatwave in AP: Mercury touches 46.2C in Nandyal The Times of India

Arrangements for webcasting in 29,897 polling stations in AP, says CEO Meena - The Times of India

Arrangements for webcasting in 29,897 polling stations in AP, says CEO Meena The Times of India

Choose your representatives wisely, Lokesh urges Chandragiri voters - The Hindu

Choose your representatives wisely, Lokesh urges Chandragiri voters The Hindu

Naidu playing dirty, instigated my sister against me: Andhra CM Jagan

Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday accused his rival, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, of playing dirty by influencing his sister, YS Sharmila, to contest elections in the state against him. Sharmila leads the Andhra unit of Congress, which is competing in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections against TDP and Jagans YSRCP.

Naidu playing dirty, instigated my sister against me: Andhra CM Jagan - The Times of India

Naidu playing dirty, instigated my sister against me: Andhra CM Jagan The Times of India

AP politics delayed Polavaram project: Gadkari - Deccan Chronicle

AP politics delayed Polavaram project: Gadkari Deccan Chronicle

AP politics delayed Polavaram project: Gadkari

Visakhapatnam : Union minister for roads, Nitin Gadkari, has said politics in Andhra Pradesh delayed the prestigious Polavaram project that was sanctioned by him while he was minister for water resources. Addressing election meetings in Venkampeta as a part of his campaign for Araku Assembly candidate Kothapalli Geetha and Anakapalli LS candidate C.M. Ramesh in Vepagunta area on Thursday, Gadkari said the project cost of Polavaram was then estimated at Rs 60,000 crore. Gadkari said he visited the project site four times when Chandrababu Naidu was chief minister. It was the responsibility of the state government to complete the project, he stressed. When the new government came in 2019, it initiated several inquiries and the end result was the project was delayed, Gadkari said. He said originally three schemes were proposed when 1,300 tmc of water from Godavari was going into the sea as waste. The first scheme was to take water from Godavari to Krishna, Krishna river to Penna and Penna to Kaveri, and taking the tail end to Tamil Nadu. This could have solved the water problem of the entire South India, Gadkari said, blaming the previous governments for wrong policies that led to water disputes. He said as a corrective measure, the NDA government launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchay Yojana to focus on big and medium dams and water conservation measures that would bring socio-economic changes in the rural economy. Agriculture contributes 12 per cent to GDP, manufacturing 22-24 per cent and services 52 to 56 per cent. He said 90 per cent of the population lived in rural areas and later 30 per cent of the population migrated to bigger cities due to the wrong policies of the government that existed after the time of Independence, he said. Now we are focusing on diversion of agriculture to energy and power sector that would save the foreign exchange in importing crude oil and enrich the rural youth, Gadkari said. He said already trial runs were on to make bitumen from broken rice and bio-fuel and aviation fuel from sea molasses, bamboo, broken rice and corn. Very soon vehicles would run on ethanol. Speaking about his contributions to north Andhra as minister for roads, Gadkari said work on Visakhapatnam-Raipur express highway covering a distance on 595 kilometres worth Rs 35,000 crore was on and similarly the Rajamahendravaram-Vizianagaram green express highway covering a distance of 688km was nearing completion. This project costs Rs 22,000 crore. These two roads would be game changer as new developmental activities would be initiated providing employment to thousands of people, Gadkari said.

EC raises objection over TDs plea for reserving Glass Tumbler to Jana Sena

The Election Commission has allotted Glass Tumbler as the symbol for the Jana Sena in 32 Assembly segments from where it intends to contest the upcoming polls in Telangana. (Twitter) The Election Commission has allotted Glass Tumbler as the symbol for the Jana Sena in 32 Assembly segments from where it intends to contest the upcoming polls in Telangana. (Twitter) Vijayawada : The Election Commission has told the Andhra Pradesh High Court that since the election process has started already, any plea to reserve the Jana Sena symbol Glass Tumbler to the regional party is not maintainable. A single judge bench of Justice B. Krishna Mohan held hearing here on Thursday on a petition filed by the Telugu Desam urging the court to direct the EC to do this in all Lok Sabha and Assembly segments in the state. The court was informed by EC that the election process had begun and it would not be possible for any change at the present juncture. Any issue of an order by the court on the issue would be tantamount to disputing the election process. Senior advocate representing Telugu Desam, Dammalapati Srinivas, urged the court to give some time to consult the petitioner. He said party symbol would play a key role in the elections as the illiterate voters would recognise the party they intend to support based on its symbol. ECIs counsel Avinash Desai argued that there was no provision in the law to recognise the alliance of political parties and reiterated that the election process had already begun. After hearing both the parties, the court adjourned the next hearing on the matter to May 6.

Police bust spurious liquor making in Vizag, arrest couple - The Hindu

Police bust spurious liquor making in Vizag, arrest couple The Hindu

Naidu and alliance leaders responsible for hardships of welfare pensioners, says YSRC

Vijayawada: YSRC general-secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has put all the possible promises in the YSRC election manifesto but the Chandrababu alliance put all the impossible promises in its joint manifesto. Ramakrishna Reddy held Naidu and alliance leaders responsible for the present problems of elders in receiving social security pensions. Addressing the media on Thursday, he said that the people knew the manifesto announced by Chandrababu was a hoax and that the YSRC is acting as a responsible party in fashioning its manifesto. Ramakrishna Reddy asked why there were no photos of the BJP in the alliance joint manifesto and why did the BJP AP unit incharge refused to hold the manifesto at its release event. He recalled that the photos of PM Modi and BJP leaders were printed on the alliance manifesto in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh states. The BJP has understood that Chandrababu's manifesto promises cannot be implemented and hence it did not want to take any responsibility thereof. Ramakrishna Reddy said Chandrababu was spreading lies on the Land Titling Act which should be implemented by the BJP government at the Centre, and if there are any doubts about that Act, then Naidu should ask his alliance partner about the Act instead of accusing the YSRC and CM Jagan. He said Naidu did not understand what is happening and who formulated the Act and spread falsehood. Chandrababu alleged that through the Land Titling Act, all the land will be taken away by the government. If so, PM Modi should grab all the land and sell those after the Act is in force, according to the statement of Chandrababu. The YSRC leader asked the BJP state and national leaders to give clarity on Land Titling Act. On Nov 25, 2019, NITI Aayog has constituted a committee to draft the Model Act and the rules on Conclusive Land Tilting that includes six senior officers from across the country. He said the YSRC understood the financial situation of the state and announced only what can be implemented. He recalled that in 1999, the TD promised to provide one crore jobs to the unemployed youth in the undivided Andhra Pradesh but it deceived them. During Chandrababu's rule, two months before the elections, the pension was enhanced to `1000 but he failed to deliver it properly. Ramakrishna Reddy stated that the opposition alliance moved the court, complained to EC and stopped the volunteers from keeping the pensioners to various difficulties. Naidu and the alliance are responsible for the hardships being faced by the senior citizens and the disabled, he stressed. He said, The volunteer system will be totally removed and the TDs Janmabhoomi Committees will be back to show hell to the poor and marginalised if TD returns to power. Chandrababu is angry that people defeated TD in the 2019 elections and is ready to mess with the lives of the poor.

Home-voting for 2024 general elections commences in Andhra Pradesh - The Hindu

Home-voting for 2024 general elections commences in Andhra Pradesh The Hindu

4.14 crore eligible to cast votes in Andhra Pradesh.. - Greatandhra

4.14 crore eligible to cast votes in Andhra Pradesh.. Greatandhra

Will complete Godavari-Penna interlinking project if elected to power, says Kanna Laksminarayana

The TDP candidate for the Sattenapalli Assembly constituency alleges that Jagan Mohan Reddy deliberately ignored the completion of the project allowing the region to reel under water crisis

Gannavaram Assembly constituency: same names, but different symbols

Vallabhaneni Vamsi, who contested on the TDP ticket in 2019, is now contesting from the YSRCP, and Yarlagadda Venkat Rao, who was in the fray on the YSRCP ticket in 2019, is now contesting on the TDP ticket

Trucks Transporting Cash for Bank Operations Briefly Detained in AP

Trucks Transporting Cash for Bank Operations Briefly Detained in AP Four container trucks carrying ''soiled'' currency notes amounting to Rs 2,000 crore were detained here by the Andhra Pradesh Police on Thursday but released later as these belonged to banks, an official said. The trucks were released after verification of documents, and these currency notes belonged to the ICICI, IDBI and the Federal Bank, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), Anantpur Range, R N Ammi Reddy said. The officer said the trucks coming from Kerala were headed to the regional office of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in Hyderabad. The trucks were detained as the Model Code of Conduct is in force in view of the Lok Sabha elections. Polling for parliamentary and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held simultaneously on May 13. ''It was basically a consignment of soiled notes which belonged to the ICICI, IDBI and the Federal Bank and amounted to Rs 2,000 crore. They were being taken from Kochi to RBI, Hyderabad,'' Reddy told PTI. The trucks had vehicles escorting them and all necessary transit documents were made available to police, the DIGP said and added that confirmation of the banks concerned and the RBI was taken and verified. Income tax department officials, the election returning officer and others were roped in for the verification process, the officer said. Reddy, however, said that there was no prior information with the state police about the movement of such currency notes.

Chandrababu Naidu Vows to Reintroduce Free Sand Policy upon Resuming Office

Chandrababu Naidu Vows to Reintroduce Free Sand Policy upon Resuming Office TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said he will implement free sand policy from June 4 once he is back in power. The opposition leader gave this assurance during a public meeting at Kadapa as part to his Prajagalam electioneering tour across the state. Besides the free sand promise, the former chief minister held the YSRCP government responsible for the skyrocketing sand prices, claiming that the price of a truck sand was Rs 1,000 during the erstwhile TDP government and Rs 5,000 now. Naidu said Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddys policies allegedly negatively impacted the lives of 40 lakh construction workers. The TDP supremo dubbed Reddys Navaratnalu welfare schemes as mafias of various kinds such as sand, liquor, land, mining, murderous politics and others. Moreover, Naidu alleged that spurious liquor brands under Reddys leadership have led to the death of 30,000 people. The TDP, BJP and Jana Sena are NDA alliance partners in the southern state. The elections for the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled on May 13 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Rahul Will Arrive in AP for Election Campaign Soon

Vijayawada: AICC in-charge for the Congress in AP, Manickam Tagore, has noted that the Telugu Desam has forgotten the Special Category Status demand, and avoided its inclusion in its election manifesto following its electoral tie-up with the BJP. The joint manifesto of the alliance is a mixture of the manifestos of the TD and Jana Sena, he said. Tagore said the Congress party if elected, will grant SCS to Andhra Pradesh for ten years. Can Chandrababu Naidu make this promise, he asked. He said Rahul Gandhi would be arriving in AP soon for the election campaign and the dates would be announced in a day or two. Manickam Tagore asked Naidu whether he would dare announce Muslim reservations in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at any public meeting. The Congress party would form the government at the Centre by repeating the 2004 results and Rahul Gandhi would be the next PM, he said. So far, two phases of the seven-phase general election have been completed. The Congress party-led INDIA bloc would have an edge over the BJP and win 60 per cent of the Lok Sabha seats. The Congress party is contesting 158 assembly seats while the CPI, CPM, and CPI (ML) have some more seats. Tagore alleged that the YSRC and Telugu Desam are making money through corporate politics in the state. Corporate giants Adani and Ambani are supporting the TD-JSP-BJP alliance and YSRC respectively. The YSRC has allotted a Rajya Sabha seat to the Ambani family, he pointed out. He said the Congress party has promised to provide 4 per cent reservations for Muslim minorities. Chandrababu Naidu is the trusted son of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Jagan Mohan Reddy is his adopted son. The TD politics is backed by Adani and the YSRC politics by Ambani. However, there is no difference between the YSRC and TD, he said and urged the people to vote for the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

Protect future generations from YSRCP, Pawan tells young voters - The Hindu

Protect future generations from YSRCP, Pawan tells young voters The Hindu

Soaring temperatures scorch Eastern and Southern India: Nandyal records sweltering 46.2 degrees Celsius

Soaring temperatures scorch Eastern and Southern India: Nandyal records sweltering 46.2 degrees Celsius Intense heat swept through east India and parts of the southern peninsular region on Thursday, testing power grids and prompting the Kerala government to order closure of educational institutions till May 6. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heat wave to severe heat wave conditions scorched parts of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and coastal Andhra Pradesh. At least 17 places in these states recorded temperatures above the 44-degree Celsius mark. The mercury settled at 46.2 degrees Celsius at Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh, 45.3 degrees at Palwancha in Telangana, 44.3 degrees at Karur Paramathi in Tamil Nadu, 45 degrees at Bolangir in Odisha, and 44.3 degrees at Kalaikunda in West Bengal. As Kerala continued to reel under punishing heat, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed the closure of educational institutions in the state until May 6. The IMD said the ongoing heat wave spell in east and south peninsular India will continue till May 3 and abate thereafter. The Met office on Wednesday said above normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country in May and a significantly high number of heat wave days expected over the northern plains, central region, and adjoining areas of peninsular India. April saw record-smashing maximum temperatures in east, northeast, and southern peninsular India prompting health warnings from government agencies and some states to suspend in-person classes in schools. A number of stations recorded their highest ever April day temperature. Five active Western Disturbances led to rain, thunderstorm, and hail storms over north and central India at regular intervals in April, preventing heat waves. IMD data shows that heat waves in April this year were far worse than in 2023, the warmest year on record so far. This trend is likely to continue in May, with around eight to 11 heat wave days predicted over south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Gujarat regions. The remaining parts of Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and some parts of Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, north interior Karnataka, and Telangana may record five to seven heat wave days in the month. Normally, the northern plains, central India, and adjoining areas of peninsular India experience around three days of heat waves in May. India saw two spells of heat waves in April from April 5 to 7 and April 15 to 30. The IMD attributes the prolonged heat wave spell over east, northeast, and south peninsular India in April to the absence of thunderstorms and an anticyclone at lower levels over the west central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining eastern coasts of India. This caused the sea breeze to cut off over Odisha and West Bengal on most days. The weather office said south peninsular India recorded an average maximum temperature of 31 degrees Celsius in April, which was the second-highest since 1901. The mean temperature (28.12 degrees Celsius) in April in east and northeast India was the highest since 1901, it said. The IMD said above normal maximum temperatures have become frequent over south peninsular India since 1980s. The region recorded 12.6 mm of rainfall in April, which was the fifth lowest since 1901 and the second lowest since 2001. According to IMD data, the number of heat wave days this April was the highest in 15 years in Gangetic West Bengal and nine years in Odisha. Odisha also experienced the longest heat wave spell (16 days) in April since 2016. Amid the prevailing but weakening El Nino conditions, the IMD had earlier warned of extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. Hundreds of thousands of voters had to cope with the searing heat when they stepped out to exercise their franchise in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. Polling for 94 constituencies across 12 states will take place on May 7. The weather office had earlier expected four to eight heat wave days in different parts of the country in April against a normal of one to three days. Ten to 20 heat wave days are expected against a normal of four to eight in the entire April-June period.

Intense heat sweeps east, south India; Nandyal in Andhra sizzles at 46.2 degrees

Intense heat wave affects East India and southern peninsular region, with record high temperatures. Kerala shuts schools. IMD warns of severe conditions. Western Disturbances prevent some heat waves. Pinarayi Vijayan orders closure. Ongoing heat wave to abate after May 3.

2kmp4/Heat waves continue to sweep AP, Nandyal at 46.2 C

Visakhapatnam : Heat wave continued to boil parts of Andhra Pradesh for the second consecutive day on Thursday with mercury touching 46.2 degree Celsius in Nandyal on Thursday. The mercury touched 45.3 degree Celsius in Kurnool, followed by 44.8C at Kadapa and Jangamaheswarapuram. Tirupati recorded 44.1C and the remaining parts of the state recorded the maximum temperatures between 39C and 43 C on the day. Nandyal, Kurnool, Arogyavaram (42.5C), and Kavali (43.1C) experienced heat wave conditions on Thursday while hot, humid and most uncomfortable weather prevailed in many parts of the state, Dr S Karuna Sagar of IMD, Amaravathi. The heat wave conditions will prevail at isolated places over Rayalaseema districts as well as coastal Andhra Pradesh region and Yanam from May 3 to May 5 while the remaining parts of the state will experience hot and humid weather conditions. Adding woes to the heat waves, parts of Rayalaseema region will experience warmer nights during the period, Karuna Sagar added. The people in tribal pockets of Alluri Sitharama Raju and Parvathipuram Manyam districts said that they have been experiencing hot and humid weather conditions for the past few days forcing them to stay indoors. Few parts in ASR district on Thursday recorded thunderstorms in the evening hours, however the spell of showers failed to bring much respite from hot weather conditions.

Final electoral roll has over 4.14 crore voters in Andhra Pradesh - Deccan Chronicle

Final electoral roll has over 4.14 crore voters in Andhra Pradesh Deccan Chronicle

Webcasting will be done at 65% polling stations in Andhra Pradesh, says Chief Electoral Officer

12,438 of 46,389 polling stations in the State have been identified as critical; Special Observer suggests 100% webcasting at all polling stations in 14 Assembly constituencies

Webcasting will be done at 65% polling stations in Andhra Pradesh, says Chief Electoral Officer - The Hindu

Webcasting will be done at 65% polling stations in Andhra Pradesh, says Chief Electoral Officer The Hindu

Lok Sabha Elections | PM Modis Muslim Quota Attack On Congress: What Lies Beneath? | News18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said the Congress tried to extend reservation on the basis of religion and give it to Muslims. Addressing an election rally in Tonk, he said that as soon as the Congress formed the government at the Centre in 2004, one of its first tasks was reducing the SC/ST reservation in Andhra Pradesh and giving it to Muslims.

Naidu promises to preserve 4% reservations to Muslims in Andhra Pradesh

The TDP national president accuses the YSRCP leaders of spreading falsehood that Rayachoti would cease to be the headquarters of Annamayya district if the NDA comes to power

GST meet to discuss fake registrations

Central and state GST officers will meet on Friday under the chairmanship of Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra and are likely to discuss various issues like stricter registration norms to deter fake companies set up to evade taxes, sources said. The meeting comes within days of GST collections scaling a record high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April on the back of strong economic momentum, increased domestic transactions and tighter audit and scrutiny. The third National Co-ordination Meeting of senior officers of Central and State Tax administrations would, among other things, discuss further tightening of registration under Goods and Services Tax (GST) to curb fake companies, set up only to claim an input tax credit (ITC). The meeting is also scheduled to discuss ways to reach out to the mastermind of GST fraud by following the money trail, sources added. To identify risky taxpayers suspected of passing or availing fake ITC, tax officers are using data analytics and artificial intelligence tools. Besides, robust checks in the form of physical verification of premises and Aadhar authentication are in place for GST registration. This has enabled early detection of fraudulent registrations and curbed them to a great extent. In Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, a pilot on risk-based biometric-based Aadhaar authentication is being carried out for registration of applications. As per the government data, between April and December 2023, about 14,600 cases of GST evasion have been registered by central tax officers. Maximum number of such frauds was registered in Maharashtra (2,716), followed by Gujarat (2,589), Haryana (1,123) and West Bengal (1,098). Besides, GST intelligence officers have detected fake ITC cases worth Rs 18,000 crore in April-December 2023 and arrested 98 fraudsters/ masterminds. The first National Coordination Meeting of State and Central GST officers was held on April 24, 2023. The issue of fake/ bogus registration under GST was discussed, and it was decided to launch a special pan-India drive to identify fake GSTINs. The second meeting was held on December 14, 2023, in which best practices adopted by various states to curb evasion were shared, besides deliberation on other issues.

TDP, YSRCP governments halted Srikakulams development: Congress

TDP, YSRCP governments halted Srikakulams development: Congress - The Hindu

TDP, YSRCP governments halted Srikakulams development: Congress The Hindu

Only Narendra Modi can develop India: BJP candidate in Andhra Pradesh

Only Narendra Modi can develop India: BJP candidate in Andhra Pradesh - The Hindu

Only Narendra Modi can develop India: BJP candidate in Andhra Pradesh The Hindu

P.V.G Rajus simplicity continue to inspire future generations: Ashok Gajapathi Raju

GST Council to Consider Crackdown on Fake Registrations at National Coordination Meeting

GST Council to Consider Crackdown on Fake Registrations at National Coordination Meeting Central and state GST officers will meet on Friday under the chairmanship of Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra and are likely to discuss various issues like stricter registration norms to deter fake companies set up to evade taxes, sources said. The meeting comes within days of GST collections scaling a record high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April on the back of strong economic momentum, increased domestic transactions and tighter audit and scrutiny. The third National Co-ordination Meeting of senior officers of Central and State Tax administrations would, among other things, discuss further tightening of registration under Goods and Services Tax (GST) to curb fake companies, set up only to claim an input tax credit (ITC). The meeting is also scheduled to discuss ways to reach out to the mastermind of GST fraud by following the money trail, sources added. To identify risky taxpayers suspected of passing or availing fake ITC, tax officers are using data analytics and artificial intelligence tools. Besides, robust checks in the form of physical verification of premises and Aadhar authentication are in place for GST registration. This has enabled early detection of fraudulent registrations and curbed them to a great extent. In Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, a pilot on risk-based biometric-based Aadhaar authentication is being carried out for registration of applications. As per the government data, between April and December 2023, about 14,600 cases of GST evasion have been registered by central tax officers. Maximum number of such frauds was registered in Maharashtra (2,716), followed by Gujarat (2,589), Haryana (1,123) and West Bengal (1,098). Besides, GST intelligence officers have detected fake ITC cases worth Rs 18,000 crore in April-December 2023 and arrested 98 fraudsters/ masterminds. The first National Coordination Meeting of State and Central GST officers was held on April 24, 2023. The issue of fake/ bogus registration under GST was discussed, and it was decided to launch a special pan-India drive to identify fake GSTINs. The second meeting was held on December 14, 2023, in which best practices adopted by various states to curb evasion were shared, besides deliberation on other issues.

Owaisis support for YSRCP can influence voting pattern of Muslims

The Muslim population in Andhra Pradesh can play a decisiverole in some constituencies in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra

TDP candidate Gouthu Sireesha seeks action against Minister Appalaraju for violation of election code

TDP candidate Gouthu Sireesha seeks action against Minister Appalaraju for violation of election code - The Hindu

TDP candidate Gouthu Sireesha seeks action against Minister Appalaraju for violation of election code The Hindu

Budagatlapalem fishing harbour to be a boon for fisher folk: YSRCP candidate Kiran Kumar

Final electoral roll has over 4.14 crore voters in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh CEO Meena finalized the electoral roll with 4.14 crore voters. The state prepares for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections on May 13, with voting conducted under various safety measures to facilitate a smooth electoral process.