Customers having a look at garments at the newly-launched Fabindia store in Vijayawada on Friday. / Photo: Ch Vijaya Bhaskar
Fabindia, an ethnic wear, skin and hair care retailer has unveiled its facility in the city.
Interacting with the mediapersons here, store owner Alekhya Nadendla claimed that the clothing line combines stylish cuts and designs with traditional hand block prints, embroideries and weaves from across the country.
Ms. Alekhya said efforts were on to open more outlets in Tier-II cities in Andhra Pradesh soon to cash in on the growing business avenues in the State after bifurcation. Focus was also laid on Visakhapatnam and Guntur, she added. Krishna District Freedom Fighters Association Secretary Vemulapally Vamana Rao inaugurated the outlet.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – December 13th, 2014
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu along with Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla will attend the launch of operations at the refurbished Sunrise Start-Up Village at Rushikonda here on December 17.
The CM will also participate in a CEOs Conclave to be held here on the same day and is expected to roll out a red carpet for investors to come to Andhra Pradesh, particularly to Visakhapatnam.
The IT incubation centre, now named ‘Sunrise Start-up Village’ has been built at a cost of Rs 25 crore atop Rushikonda hill for promoting the IT sector in Visakhapatnam. It was inaugurated on September 29 in the presence of Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan. However, the incubation tower had to undergo major repairs following the damage caused by Hudhud cyclone. The operation launch was originally scheduled for Dec 12 but has been postponed to Dec 17. “The repairs have now been completed. In a couple of days, we will hand over the premises to the five companies which were allocated office space,” said an official of the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).
The first of its kind in the state, the Sunrise Start-Up Village will promote enterprises by first generation entrepreneurs and the government has already entered into an agreement with MobMe Wireless Limited of the Kochi Start-Up Village for maintaining the incubation tower.
In a bid to promote the village, the chief minister will participate in an interaction with the representatives of about 40 small firms.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / December 11th, 2014
Maa Mahamaya Industries Ltd, the first mini integrated steel plant in Andhra Pradesh set up in Vizianagaram district, is planning to double its present capacity of 1.20 lakh tonnes per annum, according to N. Rath, the president.
He was speaking at a press meet here on Thursday after releasing the new product of the company – the premium double-ribbed TMT steel bar named “Mangal 999″. He said the mini integrated steel plant had been set up at R.G Peta village in the L. Kota mandal of Vizianagaram district in 2006 at a cost of Rs. 270 crore. “We are now launching the premium variant of our main product – Mangal 999 – which provides greater grip and the bond between the concrete and steel is enhanced manifold, if these TMT bars are used. The price variation may be 10-15 per cent for the premium, but we are sure the market will accept it,” he said.
He said the market conditions in the recent past had not been very encouraging, and that was the reason why the expansion had been put on hold but “we will go ahead with it in the near future. We will have to invest Rs. 700-800 crore for the purpose.”
Ashok Kumar Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of the company, said there were only two factories in the country – one in the north and the other in Karnataka – producing a similar product and the company would have no problem in selling it. “At present, we are focussing only on AP and Telangana. After expansion, we will branch out to the other southern states and northen markets as well,” he said.
He said the company had tied up with the NMDC for sourcing the iron ore from Chhattisgarh. In response to a question, he said the company had suffered losses of Rs. 40 crore due to Hudhud cyclone and lost 20 days or so of production. “The cyclone was a definite setback this year, but now we are back to normal,” he added.
Ginger Hotels, from Roots Corporation- a subsidiary of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), has launched its first hotel in Visakhapatnam. The 72 room Ginger Hotel is located at Dwaraka Nagar, which is easily accessible from key business and leisure hubs in the city. The entry of Ginger Hotels into the port city follows the recent announcement to make Vizag a top international tourism spot by developing the Vizag- Bhimli corridor with world-class infrastructure.
Commenting on the launch PK Mohankumar, managing director and chief executive officer, Roots Corporation said, “We are delighted to be opening our first Ginger Hotel in Visakhapatnam. Andhra Pradesh represents one of the country’s fastest growing economies, and we are confident that Ginger Hotels will be able to cater to the increased tourism needs in the state. Our strong budget hotel model of a blend of comfort and efficiency with excellent value will be an attractive proposition for business and leisure travellers alike.”
All 72 rooms are furnished with well-appointed amenities such as mini-fridge, satellite television, self-controlled air-conditioner etc. The rooms are also furnished with a workstation to make business on the go productive. The hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi to all resident guests helping the modern business traveller to stay connected. Guests can indulge in Indian cuisine at Red Salt – bright and inviting multi-cuisine coffee shop and an all-day diner. With the launch of its new hotel, Ginger now has 31 hotels in its portfolio.
source: http://financialexpress.com / The Fiancial Express / Home> Food & Hospitality World / by FHW Staff – Mumbai / December 03rd, 2014
A malbari plantation near V. Kota in Chittoor district. File Photo. / The Hindu
District administration to provide all facilities to farmers under one roof
Sericulture in Chittoor district is expected to get a boost, with the district administration deciding to provide all facilities to farmers under one roof.
District Collector Siddarth Jain has directed the sericulture wing to submit a report by December 15 on the feasibility of either the full waiver of property tax or bringing it down to the maximum level for silkworm rearing sheds in the district, with Madanapalle, Palamaner and Kuppam forming the core belt. The collective efforts of farmers and officials are expected to transform a stagnant rural economy into a dynamic and buoyant industrial economy.
Officials brought to the notice of the Collector that municipalities were imposing property tax on rearing sheds up to Rs. 5,000 a unit, which farmers have opposed. The Palamaner area contributes more than 800 metric tonnes of silk annually, thanks to the presence of over a hundred rearing sheds.
Similarly, Kuppam and Madanapalle zones, too, make substantial contributions to silk production. In spite of steps taken by the government to bolster silk production, the rural industry still depends on Karnataka for the final output, resulting in huge expenditure at the domestic front.
Considering the fact that 70 per cent of malbari plantation in the State is spread across Rayalaseema, with Chittoor contributing a significant share, the district administration aims at strengthening the existing reeling units at Palamaner, with more subsidies on buildings and rearing sheds, involving youth in the industry, apart from conducting periodical awareness campaigns for the benefit of entrepreneurs.
BETTER DAYS ARE HERE
*District Collector has sought a report from the sericulture wing on the feasibility of waiving property tax for rearing sheds
*The combined efforts of farmers and officials are expected to transform a stagnant rural economy into an industrial one
*Palamaner area contributes around 800 metric tonnes of silk annually, and govt. is considering strengthening units there
*The rural silk industry still depends on Karnataka for the final output, resulting in huge expenditure at the domestic front
HOW PALAMANER GETS A BOOST?
*More subsidies on buildings and rearing sheds
*Involving youth in sericulture
*Conducting awareness campaigns for entrepreneurs
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by K. Umashanker / Chittoor – November 26th, 2014
In what could be music to the ears of the Chandrababu Naidu government, a study has concluded that the Chintalapudi area in the Godavari valley contains more than 3,000 million tonnes of coal reserves. If harnessed effectively, it can turn Andhra Pradesh into a major player in the power and allied sectors. An upbeat TDP government is now getting ready to seek clearance from the Union coal ministry to start mining as early as possible.
The study, conducted by geologist Omprakash S Sarate of the Lucknow-based Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany, was published in the Journal of the Paleontological Society of India in December 2013. The study team, after touring Krishna, West Godavari and East Godavari districts, found that high quality coal reserves are available from Somavaram in Krishna district to Rajamundry in East Godavari district within 500 meters of depth.
“We became aware of the study last month and wrote to the Union coal ministry two weeks ago seeking immediate clearance for mining in the Chintalapudi area,” AP government sources told TOI.
The government is, as expected, overjoyed as coal plays a vital role in the economic development of any region. It not only provides a cheap source of electricity production, but also creates employment opportunity for thousands of people. It also plays an essential role in the chemical, cement, fertilizer, ceramic and steel industries.
The coal demand in Andhra Pradesh is expected to increase several fold within the next five to 10 years due to the ongoing and proposed coal-based power projects. At present, the industries dependent on coal buy the supply from Singareni Collieries at a premium rate. Once the Chintalapudi mines are harnessed, the increased availability of coal will reduce the prices and trigger economic development, feel AP officials.
The study had compared the quality of coal at Chintalapudi with that of Ramagundam and Talcher, saying that the Godavari valley region’s “coal grade and its calorific value is higher than what is available in the Singareni mines.”
The study had also found that the reserves extend to Krishna, West Godavari and East Godavari districts with most of the quality coal concentrated between Aswaraopet, Chinthalapudi and Jangareddy Gudem. While Aswaraopet is located in Khammam district of Telangana, Chinthalapudi and Jangareddy Gudem fall in West Godavari district. The Chatrai mandal in Krishna district and Rajahmundry in East Goadavari were also identified as having massive coal reserves.
“We have brought this to the notice of the Union coal ministry and want the assistance of the Geological Survey of India to figure out the exact locations to carry out explorations. After getting the nod from the Centre, we would take up exploration by acquiring land in these villages,” said a senior official overseeing the matter.
According to sources, AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has asked the mining department to prepare a clear roadmap to take up the exploration as early as possible. With more than 3,000 million tonnes of coal reserves within its reach, the AP government is confident that its economic development will take place at a pace faster than anticipated earlier.
We have brought this to the notice of the Union coal ministry and want the assistance of the Geological Survey of India to figure out the exact locations to carry out explorations. After getting the nod from the Centre, we would take up exploration by acquiring land in these villages: Senior official.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> India / TNN / October 10th, 2014
Timeless are the crafts from different states of our country and so is Andhra Pradesh’s Kalamkari work. Decades ago it was practised by many villages in the state but now it is restricted to only a few.
The art, therefore, is surviving because of those few artisans who practised the age-old craft technique. Paying tribute to all those artisans Bina Rao, trustee of Creative Bee Foundation in collaboration with Delhi Crafts Council has curated special collection of Kalamkari, at the ‘Tree of Life’ exhibition.
Intricate works in colourful shades on muslin silk pieces put on display are the original which were produced in the late 18th and 19th century, in Srikakahasti, Andhra Pradesh. Each piece is based on the concept of ‘Tree of Life’ which has been used in science, religion, philosophy and mythology. A common motif in various world theologies, mythologies and philosophies, it alludes to the interconnection of all life on our planet and serves as a metaphor for common descent in the evolutionary sense.
In her note Rao has said, “The name Kalamkari comes from the word kalam which means pen, as the instrument used to paint on the fabric. Though it resembles a pen, it is made of bamboo or tree bark on which an ink pad comprising a piece of cloth or cotton wool is tied. The ‘ink pad’ is dipped in colour and free hand illustrations are made on the hand-woven soft muslin cloth which is pre treated with cow milk.”
Interestingly, cow’s milk has certain natural chemicals which can bleach the cloth and prevent the colours from spreading and blotting.
Giving an insight into this age-old art practice, the note reads, “ Through the 18th and 19th centuries India exported textiles – Palampore and chintz as they were known then. The industrial revolution in the mid-19th century permanently altered the nature of this trade, particularly between India and Europe.
The hand-printed kalam-kari textiles were replaced by block and machine-printed ones produced in Europe. Within the next few decades, hand skills were completely lost from the villages in and around Machlipatnam and the entire region. The only exception was in Srikakahasti, where the artisans had fortunately retained the same hand skills and knowledge of natural dyeing, till today.”
The exhibition is on view till November 23, Art Gallery, Kamladevi Complex, India International Centre, Lodhi Estate from 11 am to 7 pm.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> MetroLife / by Archana Mishra, New Delhi / DHNS – November 18th, 2014
Ninety per cent of the population of the village Indupalli in Krishna district has a single profession — cooking.
About 100 years ago, Chowdary Babu, a famous barrister in Machilipatnam and Vijayawada, lived in Indupalli.
His family used to travel a lot, making it difficult to have home-cooked food all the time.
Chowdary’s wife thus selected Vaddanapu Koteswara Rao, a boy who was a domestic help in the house, and instructed him in the art of cooking.
When Koteswara Rao grew up, he was appointed as a peon in the local school. His art of cooking got publicity when he helped a teacher in his daughter’s wedding.
From then, all the teachers demanded his services.
Indupalli and the surrounding villages of Nandamuru, Manikonda and Chikinala soon got a taste of his dishes and in no time he was the most sought after cook in the area.
Over the years, celebrities and politicians like Rajiv Gandhi, Buta Singh, Jalagam Vengala Rao, Anjaiah, etc. heard about his prowess.
Koteswara Rao later became the personal cook for NTR and Sobhan Babu on outdoor shootings and toured almost the entire country with them. Koteswara Rao passed on his culinary skills to 110 masons from all castes and religions in the village during his lifetime.
The second generation of cooks from the village trained another 20 each.
Over the years, some of the Indupalli cooks have settled in Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Bellary, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi.
They are the chief chefs of conclaves like TANA (Telugu Association of North America) meetings, Telugu Desam’s Mahanadu, the Congress and the Communist parties’ plenary meetings
They prepare food for guests numbering anywhere from 1,000 to 1 lakh and guarantee satisfaction of all.
M. Bhaskara Rao, a disciple of Koteswara Rao said, “We started working with him for half a rupee. We were just teenagers then. He taught us how to select ingredients, how to balance the salt and mirchi powder. With the art he has bestowed upon us, we are now leading a decent life.”
After the first generation of Koteswara Rao’s disciples spread over the region, Indupalli changed a lot.
There are no huts in the village. Everyone has bought two-three acres of land and earns an average of Rs 5,00,000 a year.
Some of the cooks even have children settled in the US, Canada and Australia.
The fourth generation of cooks from the village has even taught in multi-cuisine restaurants abroad. Arepalli Vasantha Rao is one of them. He was in Libya for one year.
“We have Indians everywhere. To satisfy their taste buds, the companies employing us. I worked on a contract in a production house and taught them,” he said.
Wielding the ladle with flair are the cooks from Indupalli.
There is a saying that once we taste the food made by Indupalli cooks, we can easily identify it the second time. The cook may be different, but the taste is the same.
What could be the special ingredients they possess to work the magic? Bhaskara Rao says, “The devotion and dedication towards work is the special ingredient in our pockets. We are satisfied with what we get, and have no greed to take another order and being busy on the same day. We are all booked for events nearly six months before the day. On December 7, it is the marriage of the son of minister Pattipati Pulla Rao. His aides booked someone from the village for it. Recently, a man close to Mr Alapati Rajendra Prasad contacted us for booking on the same day, December 7, for the marriage of the MLA’s d-ughter. We had to regret we couldn’t accommodate him. We turned down the order from minister Kamineni Srinivas for his daughter’s marriage on December 17. We couldn’t agree as we had already accepted another order.”
The integrity and goodness possibly is the special ingredient of cooks from Indupalli.
The 500 cooks and helpers of Indupalli are busy on almost all the auspicious dates on the calendar.
Another cook said that due to increasing demand for the Indupalli cooks, some persons are impersonating them.
He added, “We caught a guy in Hyderabad last month. He pleaded guilty and begged for forgiveness. We beat him up and warned him not to damage the reputation of cooks from our village because no one else knows our distinctive style of cooking.”
Due to the increased demand and travel expenses, Indupalli cooks prefer to live in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi, with a considerable population of Telugu-speaking people.
To ensure they share and spend some quality time together, the villagers devised a tradition of reunion.
Fourteen years ago, the cooks in the village founded a trust and constructed a Saibaba temple whose anniversary falls on January 29.
All villagers settled outside are expected to visit their village on that day. The first year, 4,000 members, including family members, gathered in Indupalli.
This year, about 20,000 people visited the village. In 2015, a similar number of people are expected.
Mr Vasantha Rao said, “Villagers living anywhere in the country come home for that single event. We arrange VIP level meals and round the clock cultural programmes through the day and night. All houses in the village will be full of relatives and family members.”
Mr Bhaskara Rao, a board member of the temple said, “We have scheduled the event to January 18 this year, as the January 28 and January 29 are full of auspicious muhurtams after a long time. We don’t want to deprive them of their earnings. For January 18, we are making preparations for 20,000 members at a cost of `14 lakh. All the cooks in the village prepare dishes on the day and we serve them at four locations in the village for the convenience of the people.”
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC / Naresh Nandam / November 22nd, 2014
Have you ever tracked the status of letter written to your loved ones? Have you heard that the Global Positioning System (GPS) in your android phones will give your speed-post status? Then you have to appreciate India Posts, which has introduced the new technology to track the postal mail status.
A unique bar code is printed on the reverse of the door of the letter box to capture the details. It helps to know the location of the letter box, date and time of clearance, number of letters and also the details of the person who has delivered the letter. The public can also go to the website www.appost.in/nanyatha and type the location of the letter box in the text box.
India Posts has launched the new system ‘Nanyatha’ at the Gandhinagar post office in the city Friday. Speaking on the occasion, chief postmaster general, Hyderabad, B V Sudhakar, said, “The people can know the status of their post cards or other items posted. We have introduced this real time website service which can be used to know the status of the postal mails.”
In Vijayawada, the GPS technology is used in 173 of the total 183 boxes to get updates on speed post, till the dispatch of the parcels or items.
“We are trying to cover the entire state with this service grid by the month of Feb, 2015. The grid has been started between Hyderabad and Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and Adilabad, and soon it will cover Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to form a ‘mini southern grid’,” Sudhakar explained.
He further said that the turnover of India Posts has increased to `29,280 crore in 2013-14 from `28,425 crore in 2012-13 and the department will take measures to reduce the revenue gap of `265 crore by 2015.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / November 22nd, 2014
The Visakhapatnam chapter of Computer Society of India (CSI) has been adjudged unanimously as the ‘Best National Chapter’ for 2013-14, by the CSI National Awards Committee. The award will be presented at the CSI Annual Convention to be held from December 12 to 14 at JNTU, Hyderabad.
According to a communication sent to the CSI-Vizag chapter on Friday, several employees of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant have won prestigious awards in different categories for the year 2013-14.
VSP general manager (IT) KVSS Rajeswara Rao was selected for CSI National Fellow award, while assistant general managers (IT) YN Reddy and Y Satyaranayana bagged the Chapter Patron award and the Significant Contribution award respectively.
The CSI, Vizag, has more than two-decade-long history and is an active chapter among all the CSI Chapters in India with over 500 active members and 20 vibrant student chapters under its fold.
Right from its inception, CSI Vizag Chapter has been playing a great role in promoting IT awareness among students by organising various national and international-level seminars, workshops to enable the IT professionals share their technological advancements with other IT professionals.
Visakhapatnam Steel Plant CMD P Madhusudan, congratulated the CSI-Vizag Chapter on the achievement and expressed confidence that this meritorious award would further motivate the CSI-Vizag chapter to promote IT.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / November 22nd, 2014
