Nitish, the run machine@16

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K. Nitish Kumar Reddy with the ‘Best Cricketer in the Under -16’ award he received at the BCCI annual award function in Bengaluru recently.Special ArrangementSpecial Arangement
K. Nitish Kumar Reddy with the ‘Best Cricketer in the Under -16’ award he received at the BCCI annual award function in Bengaluru recently.Special ArrangementSpecial Arangement

‘My goal is to shatter records set by Virat Kohli’

He is 16-year-old and his batting prowess has mesmerised many in cricketing circles. K. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been consistent with willow and hammered 441 runs against Nagaland in the Vijay Merchant inter-State tournament. His insatiable hunger for scoring runs seems going on unabated. His incredible run of form in the last season saw him finish as the leading run-getter and fetched him the BCCI ‘Best Cricketer in the Under -16’ award for the season 2017-2018.

BCCI presented him the award along with a cash prize of Rs. 1.5 lakh and a Trophy named after Jagmohan Dalmiya at its annual presentation ceremony in Bangalore. Nitish is the first player of Andhra Cricket Association who got the BCCI award.

Speaking to The Hindu Nitish said he was very much thrilled and excited to receive the BCCI award. Indian skipper Virat Kohli was his role model and his goal was to beat the records set by Kohli, the young batting sensation from the city said.

Nitish expressed confidence that he would continue his performance in u-19 selections. He said ACA academies were very much helpful to the budding cricketers like him.

“As a citizen of Visakhapatnam we are proud of him,” says VDCA general secretary K. Parthasaradhi. He said Nitish had played for VDCA in under-12 and u-14 matches and will don national colours and sure will become an all-rounder.

Nitish began playing cricket with plastic bat at the age of five years and was a regular to Hindustan Zinc grounds to watch seniors playing cricket. The little maestro received good support from his father K. Mutyala Reddy, who quit job in Hindustan Zinc when he was transferred to Udaipur, to lend helping hand to Nitish to continue his dream campaign in cricket. He took Nitish to VDCA camps where coaches Kumara Swamy, Krishna Rao and Watekar nurtured him in batting and bowling.

Proud moment

An elated Mutyala Reddy told The Hindu that he was very happy and it was a proud moment as his son got the top award of BCCI. Mr. Reddy thanked VDCA, ACA and BCCI for the support extended to Nitish.

MSK Prasad spotted Nitish during u-12 and u-14 matches and picked him up for training at ACA Academy at Kadapa, where coaches Madhusudhana Reddy and Srinivas Rao further improvised his batting and bowling skills, Mr. Reddy said. “Nitish’s mother also encouraged him to pursue cricketing skills and now We are happy that he was bringing laurels both to the family and the city. We owe a lot to selection committee chairman MSK Prasad,” he said

Nitish made his maiden century in u-14 MSK Prasad tournament against Kurnool. Since then runs flowed from his bat. He remained unbeaten with 207 against Karnataka in Vijay Merchant Trophy in 2007.

His success run with both bat and ball continued.

During 2017-18 season Nitish scored 811 runs in ACA inter-district matches and 1237 runs all India inter-State matches and took 27 wickets in the inter district and , 26wickets in the inter-State matches.

Had he been given a chance to play in the under -19 age group inter-State matches, probably Nitish would have represented the country in the under -19 age group, said D.S. Varma, vice-president of VDCA.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by G. Janardhana Rao / Visakhapatnam – July 06th, 2018

In A.P., affordable bungalows at ₹6.5 lakh

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House beautiful: Proud owners at one of the houses at Gorantla. | Photo Credit: The Hindu
House beautiful: Proud owners at one of the houses at Gorantla. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Three lakh subsidised homes are handed over in a single day, in a record of sorts

In what is said to be the largest such event to take place on a single day, 3,00,346 families in Andhra Pradesh performed house-warming for their new homes on Thursday. The 3 lakh-plus beneficiaries got their new homes under the Andhra Pradesh government’s NTR Housing Scheme.

The owners set foot in their new homes around 11 a.m., the appointed time on a day regarded as auspicious, in the presence of Ministers, elected representatives, and District Collectors. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the ceremonies remotely from Vijayawada.

The previous occasion when the A.P. government did something similar was on October 2, 2017, when one lakh units were handed over to beneficiaries. A typical house under the scheme, built on an individual plot, is a single-bedroom unit of 750 sq. ft. carpet area, with a living room, kitchen and a bathroom. Where land was not available, apartment complexes of up to four floors were built. The beneficiaries were chosen through a Smart Pulse Survey.

G. Tirupattama of Mulapadu in Krishna district said, “Owning a pucca house has been a long-cherished dream.” A. Venkatapadma from Machilipatnam echoed similar feelings.

No stopping now

Mr. Naidu said the State would go ahead with the housing project even if the Centre did not support it. Beneficiaries put in ₹2.5 lakh towards the cost, and got State subsidy of ₹1.50 lakh in villages and ₹2.50 lakh in cities. The Central subsidy was ₹1.50 lakh.

The government planned to build 20 lakh houses by 2019, at an estimated cost of around ₹50,000 crore. The scope for corruption in such a large scale construction project was eliminated by ensuring that all payments were made via the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) gateway and through regular monitoring of the projects’ progress through geo-tagging, he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by V. Raghavendra / Vijayawada – July 05th, 2018

Designing varsity to come up in Vizag

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Designing varsity to come up in Vizag
Designing varsity to come up in Vizag

Amaravati:

To promote gaming and designing, a special ‘Designing University’ will be established at Visakhapatnam. The UNESCO already entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the AP Economic Development Board (EDB) on ‘Gaming Digital Learning Hub’, and the representatives from UNESCO met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday at Secretariat, to finalise the project.

The UNESCO team requested Chandrababu Naidu to allocate 100 acres of land for them to promote gaming and digital learning in the State.The delegates explained that future will be on the gaming and the corporate giants like UB Soft, Samsung, Microsoft and others also were ready to establish their offices in Visakhapatnam.

They further explained that within next 10 years, more than 50,000 jobs would be generated in the sector.  Out of the total market in the country, AP will capture at least 25 per cent, they opined. Gaming-Digital skill development, gaming-digital teacher training, global certification in digital learning and others will be the part of the hub. Naidu said that AP should lead the country as innovation valley. This would help in building knowledge economy, he added.

source: http://www.thehansindia.com / The Hans India / Home> Andhra Pradesh / The Hans India / July 05th, 2018

A dependable ally of farmers, fishermen

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Reliance Foundation is bringing all the stakeholders of primary sector on one platform by using technology. | Photo Credit: SPECIALARRANGEMENT
Reliance Foundation is bringing all the stakeholders of primary sector on one platform by using technology. | Photo Credit: SPECIALARRANGEMENT

Reliance Foundation’s ICT initiative makes visible impact in East Godavari

Bridging the gaps among the stakeholders of the primary sector by making better use of the available Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is what the Reliance Foundation has been doing for the last six years.

From mere double digit, the number of its stakeholders has now touched the one million mark spreading in about 3,500 villages and hamlets. Launched as a pilot project in East Godavari district in 2012, the services of the foundation have now expanded to all the 13 districts of the State.

Weather updates

“We have been serving farmers and fisherfolk by making use of ICT. From providing weather updates and the satellite data pertaining to the potential fishing zones in the Bay of Bengal to arranging interactive sessions with scientists and subject experts in the video conferencing mode are the free services we are providing to the end users now,” says Chittibabu Nagulapalli, senior manager at the foundation.

Be it choosing the right time for plantation and harvest to the advice on the quantity of fertilizer and pesticide to be used, farmers are depending on the foundation’s call centre without any hesitation. Nearly 20% of the beneficiaries are from East Godavari district.

Video interaction

“Video interaction with the veterinary doctors is best among the services being provided by the foundation. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for us to cart the ailing cattle to the doctor and wait for our turn in the queue by postponing the day’s work,” explains Jalligampala Rambabu, who runs a mini-dairy at Kapavaram.

For fishermen, advance information about the potential zones is the major advantage. “It saves time and fuel as well. At the end of the day, we are able to get significant returns from fishing,” says Dooda Masenu, motorboat owner from Uppada. Information collected from the INCOIS is being disseminated to the stakeholders on their mobile phones. “We can also take the help of the call centre during the sudden climate change when we are in the sea,” he points out.

“All we are doing is to ensure coordination among the departments concerned and making better use of the available technology. Officials and scientists too are evincing interest in taking part in the virtual interactive sessions. We are playing the role of the facilitator,” explains Mr. Chitti Babu.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by K N Murali Sankar / Kakinada – July 03rd, 2018

Balayya opens cancer clinic

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N. Balakrishna with Speaker K. Siva Prasada Rao at the inauguration of BIACH’s clinic on Sunday. | Photo Credit: CH_VIJAYA BHASKAR
N. Balakrishna with Speaker K. Siva Prasada Rao at the inauguration of BIACH’s clinic on Sunday. | Photo Credit: CH_VIJAYA BHASKAR

‘Hospital will come up in Amaravati in three phases’

Hindupur MLA and Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute (BIACH & RI) Chairman Nandamuri Balakrishna inaugurated the hospital’s information centre and clinic at Governorpet here on Sunday.

Mr. Balakrishna said that the institute would construct a cancer hospital at Amaravati in three phases. The State government has allotted 15 acres land at Amaravati for the hospital, which is being run on no-profit, no-loss basis. The hospital was offering concessions and free medical care depending upon the financial capabilities of the patients. The institute, doctors and staff work with a motto that the patients should be treated as guests, and instil confidence among them, he said.

According to a rough estimate, of the 10 lakh people diagnosed with cancer every year in India, 7 lakh people die. People tend lose hope as soon as they come to know about their condition. The patients would have to fight for their right to live.

‘Treatment within the reach of the poor’

A wrong impression had gained ground that the poor cannot afford cancer treatment as it was a costly affair. Many philanthropists were supporting the institute in providing medical care to the needy patients. Recently, the Telangana government also waived off the fee collected by GHMC from the institute, he added.

AP Assembly Speaker and former chairman of the institute Kodela Siva Prasada Rao said the hospital set up 18 years ago, has become one of the biggest institutes. The cancer hospital would come up at Amaravati in the next two years, he said.

Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani), Vijayawada (Central) MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, BIACH & RI Board Trustee J.S.R. Prasad, Medical Director Subrahmanyeswara Rao, and CEO Prabhakar Rao spoke.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Vijayawada – July 02nd, 2018

Jasmine, A.P.’s official flower, spreads its fragrance far away

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The point where jasmine is traded at Chandragudem of Mylavaram mandal in Krishna district. | Photo Credit: BYARRANGEMENT
The point where jasmine is traded at Chandragudem of Mylavaram mandal in Krishna district. | Photo Credit: BYARRANGEMENT

It’s big business with turnover touching IRs. 20 crore every year in Mylavaram mandal of Krishna district

The delicate and elegant flower of blissful fragrance from the tiny mandal of Mylavaram in Krishna district is spreading its scent in faraway places.

Jasmine (jasminum sambac or Bondu Malle in Telugu), and Andhra Pradesh State’s official flower, has become the centre-piece of the agri-economy bouquet of this small mandal as its exports are blooming.

Consider this. According to estimates, the jasmine business exceeds a whopping ₹20 crore during the season – January to September. “Jasmines contribute a significant share in the agriculture economy in Mylavaram mandal, where over 1,000 farmers are directly engaged in its cultivation. Annual turnover has crossed ₹20 crore, given the extent of land under cultivation,” Suresh Vesam told The Hindu.

Mr. Vesam is Director of Nestham, an NGO working on jasmine cultivation and marketing facilities in rural Krishna district.

According to estimates, over 200 acres in the mandal are under its cultivation.

Blooming grace

Realizing the huge demand for this small and graceful flower of fragrance, local farmers have been growing jasmines in big land parcels – up to four to five acres – basketing large quantities in key villages such as Pulluru, Chandragudem and Kothagudem.

On the land, “A majority of the farmers are going for the drip irrigation method which results in a bumper yield. Mylavaram farmers have learnt the technique from Tamil Nadu farmers by adopting best farming techniques,” Horticulture Department Assistant Director N. Sujatha told The Hindu.

“We want our farmers to take every opportunity that is available in the market. We are now witnessing that many traders in Hyderabad would wait for the arrival of jasmines from Mylavaram,” added Ms. Sujatha. Hyderabad is the prime market destination of the Mylavaram farmers, who transport their produce daily by road.

Going places

Looking beyond neighbouring Hyderabad,

“Plans are afoot to export jasmines directly to Singapore from next year through farmers producers’ associations from the Mylavaram area.

“Being Andhra Pradesh State’s official flower will help to tap marketing prospects in other states and abroad,” said Mr. Suersh Vesam.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by T. Appala Naidu / Machilipatnam – July 02nd, 2018

1st in south, tiles to be made from plastic waste

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Scientists believe that the plastic tiles could be commercially viable as they are unbreakable and water-proof.

Visakhapatnam:

For the first time in South India, plastic waste will be recycled to manufacture tiles in Vizag.  The National Research Development Corporation’s Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre at Visakhapatnam and National Physical Laboratory of New Delhi has transferred the technology to the Vizag-based Vyzag Bio-Energy Fuel Private Limited, according to the centre’s Vizag head B.K Sahu.

Scientists believe that the plastic tiles could be commercially viable as they are unbreakable and water-proof. Promoting them would help combat the threat posed by plastic waste.  The technology was developed by scientist S.K. Dhawan and his team at the NPL, The technology was selected in the Smart Fifty innovations by the department of science and technology and IIM-Kolkata.   Speaking to this newspaper, Mr Dhawan said: “The idea was to evolve a solution to the huge threat looming on the environment due to plastic waste. Only 20 per cent of plastic waste is recycled and the rest is dumped, causing a huge impact all over including marine life. There is a huge scope to recycle these wastes.”

About 600 plastic bags are used to manufacture one tile and 42,000 plastic bags for a slab measuring seven foot by four foot. The plastic tiles cost Rs 50-60 per sq feet and could be used for pavements, jogger paths. Tiles are being manufactured with different designs and are commercially viable. “When plastic wastes are being recycled to lay roads, why we should not use them for tiles,” Mr Dhawan asked. “Plastic recycling is growing in India and the market is huge. We should focus more on how to get wealth from wastes,” said the scientist.

Waste plastic bags and bottles are shredded into small pieces. This is mixed with fillers and moulded into water-proof decorative colourful tiles. 600 plastic bags are used to make one standard size tile 42,000 plastic bags are used for a slab measuring seven foot by four foot. Plastic tiles cost Rs 50-60 per sq feet and could be used for pavements, jogger paths.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Lifestyle> Viral & Trending / by Sumit Onka, Deccan Chronicle / June 29th, 2018