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Andhra Pradesh shifts head offices of 14 departments to Vijayawada, Guntur
The shifting of the Andhra Pradesh administration to Amaravati crossed a major milestone on Monday with the opening of 14 departments in and around Vijayawada.
The offices of Directors and Commissioners and more than 1,000 employees have shifted from Hyderabad.
These are now located in Vijayawada and Guntur and a handful in Mangalagiri.
The new offices wore a festive look, with Ministers and officials opening them formally to the chanting of mantras and playing of nagaswaram.
Employees decorated their new offices with rangolis, and officials signed files with a smile. Staff already here welcomed their colleagues from Hyderabad with bouquets.
The head offices inaugurated in Vijayawada on Monday include: Anti-Corruption Bureau, Beverages Corporation, Rural Water Supply, Stamps and Registration, Panchayat Raj, Archaeology and Museums, Economics and Statistics, Higher (Collegiate) Education, Prohibition and Excise, Tribal Welfare and Women’s Empowerment Corporation, Planning Board and Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh.
SC Finance Corporation was inaugurated in Guntur.
Officials enquired with the staff about the facilities being provided for the employees. Some officials were actively competing to meet the deadline set by the Chief Minister.
The government initially set June 15 as the deadline for the shifting and later pushed it to June 27. As the search for rented buildings took longer than anticipated, the government has allowed the process to take place by August.
Construction of the Interim Secretariat Complex (ISC) at Velagapudi in Guntur district gained pace after Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wanted the government to fully function from there.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Rajulapudi Srinivas V. Raghavendra / Vijayawada – June 28th, 2016
Kalachakra museum turns into ‘Venuvanam’
Bodhi tree rehabilitated and large wall adorned with mural art
A bodhi tree, sapling of which was planted by the Dalai Lama who visited Amaravati town in 2006 to open Kalachakra, was almost dead six months ago.
“My first reaction was to dig a pit around the tree and water it. The area in front of the tree was being used for parking of vehicles with no respect for the place. The new project we designed was to close the place and develop a meditation area here. The tree has been rehabilitated and it looks very healthy, surrounded by eight granite pillars symbolising Ashtanga Margam, the eight-fold path in Buddhism,” said Amareswara Galla, Curator and International Heritage Advisor, Amaravati Ancient Town.
The long-neglected Kalachakra museum, proposed to be renamed as Amaravati Heritage Centre and Museum, is bursting with life. A large carving of the Dharma Chakra has been installed in front of the bodhi tree. Five gazebos have been constructed in front of the tree using traditional pentals representing Buddha’s first sermon to his five disciples after he attained enlightenment. The large wall has been transformed with mural art and the whole area has been aesthetically designed.
‘Venuvanam’, which was formally inaugurated by MLA K. Sridhar on Saturday, was the cynosure of all eyes.
International standards
Monks in maroon robes offered prayers at the tree during the inaugural.
The MLA said that though it was a small pilot project it had set the benchmark for international standards that would become the hallmark of the ancient Amaravati town.
The once-sleepy town is buzzing with activity with Tourism and other officials are set on the task of reviving the old world charm of the place that attracted Buddhists in a big way.
A heritage walk and a tourism circuit are among projects planned for this region.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / P. Sujatha Varma / Vijayawada – June 26th, 2016
Volvo opens India’s biggest car showroom in city
Launch of hybrid car in India next month, says group Vice-President (Asia Pacific)
Here is another landmark for Vijayawada, the base capital of Andhra Pradesh. Swedish luxury carmaker Volvo opened its biggest car showroom-cum-service centre on the outskirts of the city on Monday.
The 26,000-sq. ft three-storey iconic building with Scandinavian ambience assumes significance as it was opened on the day when 15 government departments were shifted from Hyderabad to Vijayawada as part of the bifurcation exercise. The current growth and prospects in the region will work well for the company, according to Volvo officials.
Speaking after launching the showroom here, Volvo Cars Group Vice-President, Asia Pacific, Jari Kohonen, said the company was doing extremely well in India and looking at 20 to 25 per cent growth in sales this fiscal. “While continuing the existing models, we plan to launch the hybrid plug-in car next month in India. We also have plans to display the XS 90 hybrid car in Vijayawada soon,” Mr. Jari said.
Among the variety of Volvo models, luxury SUVs are the most-sought-after cars in India, according to Tom Von Bonsdorff, Managing Director, Volvo Auto India.
“Luxury SUVs would largely help us in achieving our targets here. They are most popular,” said Mr. Tom. The company claims to have 20 per cent market share in the cars segment in the State.
Prospective customers from Amaravati
While the brand has good patronage, especially from customers in Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Kakinada and other places, new enquiries are coming from Vijayawada and Amaravati, says Manoj Krishna, dealer principal, Volvo Vijayawada. “There is a lot of interest visible in Vijayawada and surrounds, especially from the Amaravati capital region where a lot of disposable incomes are seen. We are currently selling 100 cars per annum and we expect to double the number in the coming two years,” Mr. Manoj said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – June 28th, 2016
Vijayawada to have its first film school by June end
Vijayawada :
ONCE the hub of Telugu film distribution, Vijayawada is soon to have a film school. Film director and advertising film maker A S Geeta Krishna’s International Film School is billed for inauguration in the last week of this month.
It will be the first film institute in Vijayawada. Geeta Krishna runs such schools in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
Speaking to mediapersons on Thursday, Geeta Krishna, a Nandi Award winnder for his directorial debut film Sankeerthana starring Nagarjuna and Ramya Krishna way back in 1986, said it has been his dream to start a film school in Vijayawada.
“I was waiting for the right time and now with the administration shifting here, I felt this is the right time. This is my way of contributing to the development of Amaravati,” he said.
The film maker, who is known for his experimental style, says the Vijayawada centre will grow to be the flagship of his operations while the Visakhapatnam operation will offer crash courses in different aspects of film making.
Geeta Krishna has identified three or four locations for his institute. But at the outset it will function from a rented premises. “Once the state government provides us land, which we have requested, we will construct our own building, which will be stylish and iconic,” he said.
The film-maker is looking for some 1000 sq yards of land for the project, which will probably cost around `5 crore. The film school will offer different course modules of varying duration: 45 days, four months, six months and one year. “We are looking for students who are passionate about filmmaking and we will mould them into filmmakers and technicians. Already around 15 aspiring film makers have approached us for training and we are also conducting workshops at universities and colleges,” he said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / June 24th, 2016
Historic building at Tanuku on the brink
Greats such as Gandhi and Kanchi Paramacharya had stayed there for a while
Sri Yerramilli Ramanatham building, which had virtually become a second home for freedom fighters during the struggle for independence, is on the verge of collapse. The building has become an outlet for drainage water of an adjacent building housing a bank. With people relieving themselves, it presents a revolting sight.
Yerrammili Ramanatham, a follower of the Mahatma, had constructed the building with the intention of providing free meal to freedom fighters. When Gandhiji visited Tanuku on April 27, 1929, during a campaign to boycott foreign clothes and wear khadi ones only, Ramanatham urged him to stay in the building to which the latter readily agreed. During his visit, Gandhiji formally launched the common meal initiative. “The Mahatma again visited the building on December 26, 1933, and asked us to launch the Harijan movement,” said Konda Venkatappaiah, also a freedom fighter, in one of his books. Ramanatham, who was given the title of “karmayogi,” got an opportunity to provide accommodation to the Kanchi Paramacharya in 1938. The seer stayed for three days in the building with his entire “parivaram” and other paraphernalia, a devotee said.
Freedom fighters from the Godavari districts and north Andhra, including Konda Venkatappaiah, Mangipudi Purushothama Sarma, Mudiganti Jagganna Sastry, Bandha Viyyanna, and Sanivarapu Subbarao, would regularly meet in the building and discuss strategies.
But unfortunately, after the country gained Independence, the sacrifices made by Ramanatham and his family were forgotten.
“Ramanatham’s son Narasimha Rao, a Sarvodaya worker, was asked to write a book on Alluri Seetharama Raju’s life and his wife Parameswari also undertook some research,” said Vadrevu Sundarrao, a lecturer at the SCIM Government Degree College here.
He said it was unfortunate that successive governments had neglected such a great building.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / B.V.S. Bhaskar / Tanaku (West Godavari) – June 24th, 2016
City singer figures in ‘wonder’ book, gives father the credit
Visakhapatnam :
WHAT could be the best gift a man could get on the Father’s day when his son has attempted to enter Limca Book of records, India Book of Records and has received an approval to enter the Wonder Book of Records.
Composer and non-stop performer of 20 patriotic songs in 20 languages, including Nepali, English, French and German, in 65 minutes, Sri Tarak dedicated this achievement to his dad, on the occasion of the Father’s Day on Sunday.
The singer is a music and short film director, Big FM’s Vizag Idol 2013, promotional singer of Telugu movies like Baahubali, Temper and Nannaku Prematho, performed for events like Visakha Utsav and winner of 14 Inter-college singers championship. Passionate about singing from childhood, Sri Tarak aspires for an Oscar.
The hall echoed with melodious numbers like “My India so beautiful.. My India so strong.. My India so Virtuous…Calls to her sons.” The duration of each song ranged from 3 to 5 minutes. The patriotic numbers composed and sung by him swayed the audience.
The panel of coordinators were Narender Goud, India chief co-ordinator of Genius Book of Records and Wonder Book of Records, Swarna Sree, chief co-ordinator of Wonder Book of Records (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh), N Shilpa, chief co-ordinator of Golden Star World Record Forum (AP) and Siva Prasad, chief co-ordinator of World Records. Appreciating the efforts and the dream of Tarak, Narender Goud said: “There is no one in the world who holds a record to sing continuously in different languages. Tarak has made us and his parents proud and I wish him to fly high to attain his goals.”
Tarak who turned emotional after being approved by Wonder Book of Records, said,
“My parents, teachers and God are my inspiration and whatever I achieve in life is for them. This is my first step and I would strive hard to fulfil my dreams and make my parents proud.” The CD of all his composed songs was released by minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Sunday.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / June 20th, 2016
Singapore consortium to have 58 p.c. stake
The Singapore-based consortium, which submitted its Swiss challenge proposal for the construction of Amaravati Seed Capital in an extent of over 1,600 acres, will be given an equity share of 58 per cent in the project.
Earlier, it was proposed to share the revenue equally between the consortium and the Amaravati Development Corporation, which was called Capital City Development and Management Corporation, a special purpose vehicle floated by the government. According to the latest discussions, the share of the ADC now will be 42 per cent, mostly in the form of land.
The revenue from the project will be shared in the ratio of 58:42 between the consortium, comprising Asendas, Singbridge, and Sembcorp Development Ltd., and the Singapore government with 74.5 per cent share in the consortium and the ADC respectively.
Final decision today?
“Chief Secretary, who is the Chairman of Infrastructure Authority, called for a meeting with Secretaries of five to six departments to consider all aspects on Wednesday. A final decision on accepting the Swiss challenge proposal is possible tomorrow,” sources said.
Once the proposal submitted by the consortium, which had been fine tuned after several rounds of discussions to meet the norms, is cleared, it will enter into an agreement with the ADC. The proposal will be submitted to the Cabinet for its approval. Once the proposal is approved, it will be put in the public domain and invite better proposal from any competitor. If a competitor submits a better proposal, the consortium will have to match it to bag the project.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by M.L.Melly Maitreyi / Hyderaba – June 22nd, 2016
ENC to observe World Hydrography Day
Visakhapatnam:
The Hydrographic Ships and Units of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) is to organise a hydrographic symposium on Tuesday to mark the World Hydrography Day.
Papers on professional topics would be presented and contemporary issues discussed at the event. In order to increase awareness, a visit by school children to hydrographic ships is also being organised where the state-of-the-art survey equipment would be on display.
World Hydrography Day is celebrated on June 21 every year with the aim of giving suitable publicity to the work of hydrographers at all levels and of increasing the coverage of hydrographic information on a global basis.
The theme for this year’s celebrations is ‘Hydrography – the key to well-managed seas and waterways’. Hydrography is a branch of applied sciences that deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers as well as with the prediction of their change over time for the primary purpose of safety of navigation and in support of all other marine activities.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / June 21st, 2016