Monthly Archives: July 2014

Naidu showers boons on Anantapur

DWCRA women handing a cheque for Rs. 1 crore to Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu for development of Andhra pradesh, at Puttaparthy in Anantapur district on Thursday. PHOTO: R.V.S. PRASAD / The Hindu
DWCRA women handing a cheque for Rs. 1 crore to Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu for development of Andhra pradesh, at Puttaparthy in Anantapur district on Thursday. PHOTO: R.V.S. PRASAD / The Hindu

Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday promised upgradation of the existing medical college and government general hospital at Anantapur into a super speciality hospital at a cost of Rs. 150 crore, with Central assistance.

Mr Naidu, who arrived at Puttaparthy airport in a private aircraft at around 10:30 a.m., one and a half hours behind schedule, drove straight to Prasanthi Nilayam to pay his respects at the ‘ Maha Samadhi’ of Sathya Sai Baba, following which he held a meeting with the trust members of the Sathya Sai Central Trust.

Later, an interactive meeting with the self-help group (SHG) women, he said the government had kept its promise to waive their loans.

“In the next five years, the drought prone Anantapur district, which has given us the maximum seats after West Godavari, would be developed in such a way that drought and poverty would fear to set foot in the district,” said Mr Naidu even as SHG women, on behalf of all the SHG’s in the district, handed him over a cheque for Rs 1 crore towards the building of ‘Navyandhra Pradesh’.

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Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naidu said he would take special interest on development of the district and said an ‘Adarsha township’ would be created out of Hindupur while Rs 250 crore would be allotted to the Ananta Venkata Reddy Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (AVRHNSS) project forthwith.

Mr Naidu also promised to take special interest in upgrading the existing airport at Puttaparthy and increase the connectivity with Bangalore to turn Puttaparthy into a famous pilgrim town in the next few years.

On the occasion, he also unveiled a Rs 42-crore ‘Mega Tourism Project’ to develop tourism infrastructure at 30 tourist places in the district which include forts, temples and a bird sanctuary, besides increasing the connectivity between these places of tourist interest.

However, throughout the tour of Mr Naidu, accompanied by all the TDP legislators and the two MPs from the district, the actual interaction of Mr Naidu was limited to a few children at the Vengalamma Cheruvu while the actual proposed interactive session with women at Puttaparthy turned out to be a session dominated by the speech of Mr Naidu himself..

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / Staff Reporter / Anantapur – July 24th, 2014

Cotton Corporation to set up ginning mill in Seemandhra

CCI plans to acquire 7.17 hectares of barren land of NTC on lease for which a formal proposal has already been submitted to BIFR

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The public sector the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), which carries out market intervention activities to support cotton farmers, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) National Textile Corporation (NTC) to set up a ginning cum pressing (GNP) mill in Seemandhra, the newly formed Talangana state.

CCI plans to acquire 7.17 hectares (ha) of barren land of NTC on lease for which a formal proposal has already been submitted to the Bureau of Indian Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), being the land a part of NTC’s closed unit.

“We procure around 100,000 tonnes of cotton in this area out of its total production of around 400,000 tonnes. Hence, cotton would adequatly be supplied to our forward integration unit. Initially, we are looking at 60,000 tonnes of pressing and ginning capacity of this plant,” said B K Mishra, chairman cum managing director of CCI.

Apart from that, the company plans to set up a warehouse to store cotton with 100,000 tonnes of storage capacity.

The company has earmarked investment of Rs 20 crore for these projects from its current networth of Rs 250 crore.

CCI is looking to set up this plant initially on pilot basis which, on being successful, will be expanded for commercial basis and other neighbouring states also provided the state government allocates free land.

The company which also executes commercial cotton trade, has urged the government seeking expansion in procurement area including jute and other agricultural commodities similar to Nafed.

CCI procured 441,000 tonnes of cotton so far this year of which around 90 per cent was for commercial operation. The remaining 10 per cent to the tune of 40,000 tonne of cotton was procured under market intervention scheme.

“We get an opportunity to procure huge quantity of cotton at the minimum support price (MSP) once in four years. In the remaining period, therefore, we execute commercial cotton procurement. Forward integration would certainly help us taste the market and set a benchmark for yarn and fabric industry in India,” said Mishra.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Company> News / by BS Reporter / Mumbai – July 24th, 2014

West Godavari Set to Become Tourist Spot

Narsapur :

West Godavari district administration has been taking measures to make the district a tourist destination by developing the tourist spots in the district.

As part of it, a proposal with Rs 3 crore estimate was sent to the government to develop Perupalem beach. After getting the government’s approval, the development works will commence. Tourism information centre and guest houses will also be arranged for the tourists. Collector Katamaneni Bhaskar inspected the beach along with officials of the tourism and other departments. Later, the collector said necessary land was identified near Biyyaputippa village for the proposed fishing harbour. Officials were directed to prepare a project report in this regard.

Measures were taken to combat drinking water problem in the district and also medical and health department officials were directed to take preventive steps against spread of diseases during the monsoon.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 21st, 2014

Young minds have a go at robotics

Students participating in the preliminary round of the national-level robotic competition, 'Escalade III', organised by IIT-Guwahati at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. - Photo: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
Students participating in the preliminary round of the national-level robotic competition, ‘Escalade III’, organised by IIT-Guwahati at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. – Photo: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

More than 30 teams from across Andhra Pradesh showcase their technical expertise at ‘Escalade -III’. More than 30 teams from across Andhra Pradesh, including East Godavari, West Godavari, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam showcased their technical expertise.

A team of four from Sir C.R. Reddy College of Engineering, Eluru, has designed a robot based on micro controller programming that follows automatic predefined module.

Final year students of Raghu Engineering College, Vizianagaram, have come up with another robot that applies electro mechanical technique.

While engineering students of ANITS have made a basic model using tyre-and-arm mechanisms, second year students of GITAM Institute of Technology are eager to explain their hassle-free creation crafted by using manual operation.

These and many more were designed by contestants who were part of the preliminary round of robotics competition, ‘Escalade -III’, organised by IIT-Guwahati at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Auditorium, Andhra University, on Sunday. The robot has to climb, collect the ball placed on top of the poll, and drop it in any of the four slots provided at the bottom of the 70-cm- long poll.

More than 30 teams from across Andhra Pradesh, including East Godavari, West Godavari, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam showcased their technical expertise.

Based on the accuracy level, motor movements, application of innovative methods, and time management, a team of six from each centre (spread across 11 cities) will be heading to the finals. All the participants will receive participation certificates and the final champions will walk away with prizes worth Rs.1 lakh.

Finals

The final round of the All India Robotics Competition is slated to be held on September 1 at IIT-Guwahati as part of its annual ‘Techno-Management Festival’ called ‘Techniche 2014’.

“The prelims are conducted on the same day across 11 centres across the country. Out of which 66 teams will get to the next level. The idea is to foster the spirit of science and technology among the student community and help them gain practical exposure,” says Tarun, one of the organisers from IIT-Guwahati.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Staff Reporter / Visakhapatnam – July 21st, 2014

After 40 years, Master Plan for Kakinada being readied

Hyderabad-based R.V. Consultants will draw the plan, keeping population projection in the next 20 years

After a gap of nearly 40 years, a Master Plan is being prepared for Kakinada city. The Kakinada Municipal Corporation has appointed Hyderabad-based R.V. Consultants for the job.

Keeping in view the rising population and requirements of the city in the next 20 years, the firm is preparing the plan. A power-point presentation on the draft plan was held during a meeting held in the municipal corporation office here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, East Godavari Collector and Special Officer of the corporation Neetu Prasad said that Kakinada was emerging as the eight biggest city next to Visakhapatnam in the coastal region. She said that opinions from various quarters would be taken into consideration while finalising the plan. At present, the city’s population was 3.2 lakh and it was expected to cross 10 lakh in the next 20 years, the Collector informed.

Rapid industrialisation

“The city will witness rapid industrialisation in the wake of the PCPIR project. Since the Union Government announced the port’s development this budget, it will boost the industrial growth along the coast further,” she said.

Municipal Commissioner S. Govinda Swamy said that the first master plan for the city was chalked out in 1975. “The plan will focus on improving amenities for the increased population. Infrastructure like roads and bridges will find a special mention in the plan,” he said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Vijay Bhaskar Reddy highlighted the need for a special focus on city’s traffic and importance had to be given to widening of roads, developing traffic islands and arranging zebra crossings. Officials of various departments were also present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by  K. N. Murali Sankar / Kakinada – July 16th, 2014

A power couple whom AP looks up to

Taking up big responsibilities around the same time, these two have become the new power couple in the country. If Nirmala Sitharaman, the wife, is busy running the country in her capacity as union minister of state for commerce and industry, Parakala Prabhakar, her husband, has been entrusted the responsibility of furthering the development of Andhra Pradesh in his latest avatar as communications advisor to chief minister Chandrababu Naidu.

It was a meeting of the minds when the two encountered each other in Jawaharlal Nehru University in the early eighties. A Tamil Iyengar Brahmin from Trichirapalli, Nirmala is the daughter of Narayanan Sitaraman, a railway employee, and Savitri. She graduated in economics from Seethalakshmi Ramaswami college in Trichi before she headed to JNU to do her master’s and doctorate in economics. Parakala, a Telugu Brahmin from Narsapur in coastal Andhra, is the son of Seshavataram, a veteran communist who later gravitated to the Congress and served as a five time minister in AP. Parakala could not pursue politics successfully in the footsteps of his father and joined JNU to study economics.

As members of Freethinkers, a JNU forum that discussed right-wing and left-wing politics among many things, the two got close and ended up getting married. They then left for London where Parakala Nirmala went on to do his PhD from the London School of Economics, while Nirmala worked for some time as sales woman in a decor shop and later as a researcher on East-European economies for Price Waterhouse Cooper.

The early nineties saw them return to Hyderabad and Narsapur after the birth of their daughter, the only child. Parakala set up a marketing research agency in Hyderabad, a trust in memory of his father, and along with Nirmala, started a school Pranava.

Parakala contested unsuccessfully from Narsapur on the Congress ticket in 1994 but went on to develop close ties with former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao. From the Congress, Parakala joined the BJP and finally, in 2008, went on to became a founding member of the Prajarajyam party along with actor-turned politician Chiranjeevi, before leaving in disillusionment.

Chandrababu Naidu is believed to have invited Parakala to join the TDP and after the party’s victory, he joined the government as its communications advisor.

Nirmala was nominated to the National Commission for Women during the NDA regime under Atal Behari Vajpayee, but her term ended abruptly when the UPA took over in Delhi. She returned to Hyderabad to start a policy research centre and then a school for the underprivileged in a village. In between, she got involved with the Swadeshi Jagran Manch.

Nirmala finally joined the BJP in 2006.

Andhra Pradesh and Naidu are expecting a lot from this power couple. While Niramala’s help is needed to get investments and SEZs in Andhra Pradesh, Parakala has to play a key role in shaping Naidu’s developmental politics at a critical juncture. It is in the expectation that Nirmala will do something for AP that Naidu went out of his way to offer the Rajya Sabha seat from Andhra Pradesh to her. As for Parakala, sources said he has been given the responsibility of defending the party’s policies on various forum as the TDP has limited speakers who can effectively communicate in both English and Hindi also.

At least for the next five years both at the centre and in Andhra Pradesh, all eyes will be on this power couple who could play a key role in the growth of the country and state of AP.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / July 21st, 2014

Senior Telugu scribe Radhakrishna dies of cardiac arrest

Rajahmundry (AP) :

(PTI) Senior Telugu journalist Bobbili Radhakrishna died of cardiac arrest at Kakinada in East Godavari district, family sources said today.

He was 75.

Radhakrishna, presently working with a Telugu daily ‘Kakatiya’, died at his son’s residence at Treasury Colony in Kakinada last night, they said.

He is survived by two sons and a daughter.

Radhakrishna started his career as a reporter with a Telugu daily ‘Eenadu’ and later became a staff reporter at its Kakinada and Rajahmundry centres.

source: http://www.ptinews.com / Press Trust of India (PTI) / Home> National / Rajahmundry (AP) / July 20th, 2014

3-day kabaddi tournament from August 16 in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam :

Four matches of the newly launched Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will be held in the city at the Port Trust Indoor Stadium between August 16 to 19, Charu Sharma, one of the promoters of the Pro Kabaddi League, said at the launch of the Telugu Titans Kabaddi team here on Friday.

PKL, which will kick off on July 26, will have eight teams competing for the title and prize money of Rs 50 lakh. The eight teams include Bengal Warriors, Delhi Dynamos, U Mumba, Puneri Paltan, Jaipur Pink Panthers, owned by Bollywood hero Abhishek Bachchan, Patna Pirates, Bengaluru Bulls and Telugu Titans.

Meanwhile, Srini Siramaneni, one of the owners of the Telugu Titans team said that on August 16 their team would play against Bengaluru Bulls, against U Mumba on August 17, Puneri Paltan on August 18 and against Delhi Dynamos on August 19.

The team, which comprises nine Indian players that have participated at the international level as well as three foreign players, is captained by Rajaguru Subramanian, who is popularly known as the Great Wall of China. The team’s logo was unveiled by Visakhapatnam Port Trust chairman MT Krishna Babu in the presence of PKL representative Charu Sarma and PKL technical director and Dronacharya awardee E Prasada Rao.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / July 19th, 2014

Krishna University May Host Inter-Varsity Sports Meet

Krishna University vice-chancellor V Venkaiah presenting cheques to Women Kabadi players at PB Siddhartha College in Vijayawada on Friday. Registrar D Suryachandra Rao (left) looks on | EXPRESS PHOTO
Krishna University vice-chancellor V Venkaiah presenting cheques to Women Kabadi players at PB Siddhartha College in Vijayawada on Friday. Registrar D Suryachandra Rao (left) looks on | EXPRESS PHOTO

Vijayawada :

Krishna University vice-chancellor Vunnam Venkaiah has announced that the second convocation of the university will be held at Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kala Kshetram in the city on August 1.

Speaking to reporters at the PB Siddhartha College of Arts and Science on the sidelines of the general body meeting of the lecturers in Physical Education working at the affiliated colleges of Krishna University, the vice-chancellor said that the Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Patibandla Chandrasekhara Rao will be the chief guest at the convocation that would be presided over by the chancellor and Governor ESL Narasimhan.

He also said that the university was making efforts to convince the government to accord permission to it for conducting an inter-university sports competition this year too.

KU registrar D Suryachandra Rao said that the sponsors for the sports board raised the funds to `30 lakh from `5 lakh in the year 2008.

Vice-chancellor Venkaiah also distributed the cash prize among the winners of the university women’s Kabaddi team, who bagged the third position in the inter-college youth festival conducted at KBN College in December, 2013.

Proceedings

The 2nd convocation of KU will be held on August 1 at Tummalapalli Kala Kshetram in Vijayawada

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Judge PC Rao will be the chief guest

The convocation ceremony will be presided over by Governor ESL Narasimhan

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 19th, 2014

Vizag’s Scenic Erra Matti Dibbalu Now Declared a Geo-heritage Site

ErraMattiANDHRA25jul2014

Visakhapatnam :

The Geological survey of India has declared the Port City’s famous ‘Erra Matti Dibbalu’ (Red sand dunes), situated between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam, as one of the geo-heritage sites in the country, D Rajasekhar Reddy, advisor of Geo-heritage cell of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), revealed here Wednesday.

With the picturesque place being one of the major tourist attractions in the area and a popular picnic spot, it is now going to be protected and preserved as a heritage site.

Speaking to mediamen, Rajasekhar said that the Erra Matti Dibbalu being official ly recognised by the GSI as a geological spot will increase the significance of the site globally.

He also said that conservationists can push the government for the protection of the site to bring unlawful activities and other mass events to an end. Rajasekhar felt that there is a need for a special ministry to ensure better progress in recognising more geo-heritage sites in the country.

GSI has recognised just 30 sites so far of which three are from the state. The Erra Matti Dibbalu site in Visakhapatnam are a rare scientific paleo coastal red sand dunes, which contain mesolithic and neolithic materials in it, a first in the country.

How geo-heritage site tag helps

Places identified as Geo-heritage sites are natural features on the Earth that hold significant cultural or scenic value. Geo-heritage or conservation involves the identification and preservation of such areas.

GSI would take over Erra Matti Dibbalu and take maeasures for its conservation.

Central funding would be sought for the maintenance and preservation of Geo-heritage sites.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / July 24th, 2014