Jaganmohan's assets case: SC notice to 6 Andhra ministers, 8 IAS officers

                                                                
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to six Andhra Pradesh ministers and eight IAS officers on a plea alleging that the CBI was not proceeding against them despite having sufficient evidence that they helped former Congress leader Y Jaganmohan Reddy accumulate massive illegal assets.

New Delhi, Mar 12: Six Congress ministers along with several other bureaucrats in Andhra Pradesh faced tremendous criticism when the Supreme Court on Monday, Mar 12 issued notice to the ministers and officials accusing of being inactive over YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's disappropriate asset case.

Why no case has been filed against the ministers and the bureaucrats in the case, asked the apex court while slamming the investigative agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A bench headed by Justice Dalveer Bhandari issued the notices to the ministers and the IAS officers and sought their stands on the petition filed by an advocate, Sudhakar Reddy.



Sudhakar Reddy contended that the investigation into the disproportionate assets could not be confined to Jaganmohan Reddy, but should also include the role of the ministers and bureaucrats in facilitating his business dealings.

 The notice was issued to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), six Andhra Pradesh ministers and eleven IAS officers serving in the state at the time.

The petitioner alleged that these six ministers and eight IAS officers were also holding ministerial and other key positions under the then chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, during whose tenure his son Jaganmohan accumulated huge wealth, disproportionate to his legal income.

Reddy, in his petition, said even though the CBI had registered a number of cases against several others in the disproportionate assets case against Jagan Mohan Reddy, but it failed to register any case against these 14 persons.

An apex court bench headed by Justice Dalveer Bhandari issued notice on a petition by Nellore-based advocate Sudhakar Reddy seeking a probe into the government orders favouring Jaganmohan Reddy, a Lok Sabha MP.

The petitione has challenged a Andhra Pradesh high court order rejecting a probe. A special CBI court in Hyderabad had also rejected the plea.

Budget session: President speaks on economy, minority quota and security

                                                            

 

New Delhi:President Patil also assured that the government was acting to tackle black money. "Government is working on various levels on black money and is taking action to tackle the menace," she said. "The government is also working to reduce corruption at all levels," she added.
Speaking on India's removal from WHO's list of Polio nations, Patil said, "A separate department of disability affairs will focus on issues confronting disabled persons proposed to be set up. Polio has almost been removed from India."
The President also announced that Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bill will be introduced in Parliament.
Speaking on cross-border relations, Patil said, "We are committed to resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan through dialogue."
President Patil also mentioned the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) saying, "NCTC aims at improving India's capability to counter internal security threats."

President Pratibha Patil on Monday addressed her last joint session of Parliament before her term ends. The session witnessed uproar by the Opposition when the President spoke about the minorities sub-quota. "The government has decided to provide a sub-quota for minorities. The government has decided to bring 4.5 per cent sub quota for minorities with the existing quota," Patil announced, following which there was uproar in Parliament.
Addressing Parliament, she also expressed concern over the world economy, but said that India's economic growth was better than others. "My government has completed its half tenure. This was a difficult economic year for the world. The economic growth of India has decreased but is better compared to the world economic scenario," President Patil said.
She also said that the economy will stabilise soon. "Economy will soon revert to 8-9 per cent growth path," she said.

Quake rocks J&K, northern Pakistan

                                                               
A earthquake has been reported in Kashmir with the epicenter being in the Gilgit area, 144 kilometers north-west of Kashmir.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir was rocked, along with parts of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), by a moderate earthquake at 11.36 am (IST) on Monday.


As per the Indian Meteorological department (IMD), the earthquake measured 5.8 on the Ritcher Scale with the epicentre was at Lat. 36.8°N Long. 73.4°E near the Indo-Pak border.

However, as per the US Geological Survey, the earthquake measured 5.6 on the Ritcher Scale with the epicentre located at a depth of 49.3 km from the earth’s surface near Gilgit in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

No reports of any damage to of life or property have emerged as yet.

The same area was rocked by a massive earthquake in 2005 that had led to the death of over 75000 people.

Experts and geologists have said that the earthquake measured 5.6 to 5.8 on the Richter Scale, and lasted for about two to three seconds.
Media reports said that the earthquake occurred at around 11.36 a.m., and added that residents of the region rushed out of their homes on feeling the tremors.

Hyderabad:PRP formally unites with Congress

                                                                       

On Thursday, leaders of both parties handed over letters to the Speaker seeking to accept the merger. Accordingly, the Speaker made the formal announcement on Monday morning.
Now, as per the promise made by the Congress during the merger, Chiranjeevi has to be nominated to Rajya Sabha in the biennial elections on March 30.
 The party could not ride to power despite positioning itself as an alternative to Congress and Telugu Desam Party but won only 18 seats with 17 per cent vote share in the 2009 elections. One of the MLAs subsequently switched over to the YSR Congress of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.
With Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar making a formal announcement in the House on Monday accepting the merger of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) with the Congress, the chapter of the Chiranjeevi-led party has come to an end in the political history of the state.
"Under Para 4 of Schedule X of the Constitution, all 17 members of PRP will be recognised as Congress MLAs with immediate effect," the Speaker announced to the House.
Telugu Megastar Chiranjeevi founded the PRP on August 26, 2008 at temple-town Tirupati with the promise of ushering in a change on the plank of social justice.


It drew a blank in the Lok Sabha polls the same year.
PRP was plagued by a leadership crisis since its start as majority of the leaders who joined it from other parties quit, unable to adjust to the 'filmy style' of functioning of Chiranjeevi and his brother-in-law Allu Aravind.
In February 2011, the Congress came with the offer of a merger with PRP and Chiranjeevi lost no time in accepting it.
In June last year, the Election Commission of India approved the merger of PRP with Congress and the formalities between the two parties were completed in August.
Two legislators of PRP were inducted into the state Cabinet in January as part of merger deal.
However, the PRP continued to remain a separate group in the Assembly as some 'technical' procedures were not completed.
Late last month, the Congress Legislature Party finally approved the merger and communicated its decision to the Speaker.

Congress will be routed in AP too: Jagan

                                                                    
Nellore: Predicting that the performance of the Congress in Andhra Pradesh would not be much different from that in Uttar Pradesh, YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has exuded confidence that his party will come to power with the blessings of the people.


Describing the elections as a fight between the good and the evil, he urged the people to vote for Prasanna Kumar Reddy who strove hard for the development of the constituency. The Congress and the TDP were in collusion to see that YSRCP was defeated but with the blessings of the people his party would emerge victorious, Jagan said.

Former MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy said he was criticising the Congress and its leaders not because he had resigned from that party Congress and the Lok Sabha but because the party had lost the leadership  qualities which was proved by the recent elections.

Addressing a series of road-side meetings at Leburu, Narasapuram, Krishnapuram, Kothakaluva, Pallepadu, Gudipallepadu in Indukurpeta mandal on Thursday as part of his electioneering in the Kovuru constituency on behalf of his party candidate N Prasanna Kumar Reddy, Jagan confined himself more to appealing to people to vote for his party than to criticising the Congress and the TDP as he had done on the first two days of campaigning.


After YSR's demise, the Congress lost its value in the state and election results would surely show it, he said and announced that he would contest the Lok Sabha seat from Nellore on YSR Congress Party ticket.
YSRCP candidate N Prasanna Kumar Reddy and other party leaders were present.

YSR Congress Party Celebrated 1st Year Anniversary

                                                                        
YSRCP supporters in Detroit celebrated the first year anniversary by hoisting party flag and cutting cake on Sunday, March 11, 2012.

Members of the YSR Congress Party who gathered at the ceremony reiterated that YSR Congress Party belongs to the people of Andhra Pradesh and it is established to achieve the goals in fulfilling the welfare schemes for poor and to complete the popular projects set by the great leader and visionary Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

They expressed their hope that people of Andhra Pradesh will continue to stand by the young dynamic leader, YS Jagan who is always present with the people and who is relentlessly fighting for the successful implementation of welfare schemes that were introduced by the late chief minister Dr. YSR.

“People of Andhra Pradesh have their hopes on YS Jagan to lead our state of AP out of present crisis and bring back the past glory and also play a key role in the national politics” they added.
They outlined their plans and activities that will be organized in the near future on behalf of YSR Congress Party, Detroit chapter.

Lingala Hariprasad Reddy, Sunil Manduti, Venkat Beeram, Vinod Kukunoor, Yugandhar Bhumireddy, Purashotham Kukati, Konuganti Ramana Reddy, Vinod Atmakur, Ravi Kiran, Vidyadhar Reddy Bujala, T Sreedhar Reddy, Srinivas Chittaluri and others participated in the event.
They remembered the golden regime of their beloved leader Dr YSR and the activities that were organized by the YSR Congress Party in the past one year to fight for the welfare of the people.

On this occasion, they also appealed to the voters of Kovur assembly constituency to utilize their vote in favor of YSR Congress Party to give a record majority to Prasanna Kumar Reddy and teach another fitting lesson to Congress and Telugu Desam Party leaders who are ignoring the people of Andhra Pradesh.

GRP to introduce tag system for baggage in trains

The government is taking several measures to control crime in trains and on platforms, said Vijayawada Government Railway Police (GRP) in-charge Superintendent of Police M. Kantha Rao.

The GRP will work with NGOs, and arrange rehabilitation for missing/runaway children, he said.

Surveillance cameras would be installed to check the movements of offenders on platforms and more complaint boxes would be arranged in railway stations. A State-level Control Room has been set up in Hyderabad, and passengers can alert the railway police (round-the-clock) by calling over 040-27702339.

Documentaries would be screened in railway stations on different types of thefts/sedating to keep the passengers alert. Instructions have been given to the police to register cases immediately after receiving a complaint, and very soon the police will issue FIR copy to the complainant at free of cost, said Dr. Kantha Rao.

The government has represented the Railway Board about shortage of staff in GRP and steps were being taken to increase the force in all railway stations and provide security for passengers in trains as well as stations.

In view of the spurt in thefts in air-conditioned bogies, the railway police will introduce tag system for baggage in all trains in Vijayawada railway station soon.

The tag containing the information of the passenger will be pasted on the luggage and checked while the passenger was alighting.

Mr. Rao, who was the Superintendent of Police of Secunderabad GRP, took additional charge as the SP here on Saturday.

Addressing the newsmen he said the government was organising combined training for the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the GRP in Secunderabad and a similar programme was proposed in Vijayawada too.

To rehabilitate missing children and women on platforms, the railway police will arrange meetings with the Women Development and Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Board.

The SP said the police identified the gang who drugged the passengers and escaped with jewellery in Nizamuddin Express train recently. The gang sedated the passengers and looted the passengers earlier and the Secunderabad GRP are making efforts to nab the gang.

India Decides to End Cotton-Export Ban After Protests From Growers, China

                                                 
the world’s second-biggest cotton producer, scrapped a one-week-old ban on exports of the fiber after protests from growers, traders and China, the nation’s largest customer. Prices dropped.
“Keeping in view the interests of the farmers, industry, trade, a balanced view has been considered by the Group of Ministers to roll back the ban,” Trade Minister Anand Sharma said in an e-mailed statement yesterday.

The ministry will publish details for repealing the March 5 ban today, Sharma said. India barred exports to secure domestic supplies after sales exceeded the government’s estimate of the country’s exportable surplus. The resumption of international sales may add to global supplies and pressure futures, which have fallen 55 percent in New York in the past year.
“This will help farmers get a higher price immediately, at least 10 percent more, and encourage cotton planting for next year,” Dhiren Sheth, president of the Cotton Association of India, said in a phone interview yesterday. “The government decision will help avoid disputes and arbitration in international markets.”
The May-delivery contract dropped as much as 0.9 percent to 88.01 cents a pound in on ICE Futures U.S. before trading at 88.38 cents at 10:21 a.m. Singapore time. The ban drove prices up by the daily limit on March 5, and to 94.24 cents the following day, the highest level since Feb. 17. They fell 0.9 percent on March 9.

VRO/VRA test results today

VRO/VRA test results released  March 12th ...

The CCLA Announced The AP VRO / VRA Results and KEY Announced at 12 march .

Andhra Pradesh State Chief Commissioner of Land Administrator was conducted the Village Revenue Officers (VRO) and Village Revenue Assistants (VRA) written test on 19 th feb 2012 . The VRO VRA Exam Results Released From the official Website of CCLA www.ccla.cgg.gov.in after March 12th .

The VRO VRA Candidates Can Download The VRO results and VRA Results From AP Revenue Deportment official Website of http://www.ccla.cgg.gov.in/

YSRCP conducts medical camp at Bodevandlapalle village

                                                    

A mega medical camp with participation of about 25 leading physicians from Tirupati was held on Sunday by 

YSR Congress Party leaders of Chandragiri constituency at the remote Bodevandlapalle village in 

Konathala Ramakrishna, prominent YSRCP State leader was among those who was present at the medical camp where medicines worth Rs.5 lakh was distributed to the patients.

Bhaskar Reddy said that the Formation Day celebrations scheduled for Monday would be marked by a colourful procession in which 1,000 feet long flag of YSRCP would be carried through the main streets of Chandragiri located on the Tirupati-Chittoor highway.

Yerravaripalem mandal, a day ahead of the party's Formation Day celebrations scheduled for Monday.

According to Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, former TUDA chairman and a strong contender for the party's ticket in the next elections, at least five thousand people, mostly belonging to weaker and poorer sections from the villages around, attended the camp and received medical attention from a battery of senior doctors.

Meanwhile, TTD's Central Hospital too conducted a Rheumatology super specialty camp in collaboration with Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, for the benefit of TTD employees on Sunday .

A note released by TTD in this connection said that a similar super specialty camp would be conducted in future on every second and fourth Sundays of the month to benefit patients who require treatment for ailments related to lungs, liver, kidneys besides treatment for cancer, obesity, thyroid and so on.

Dr. C. Prabhakar, CMO of TTD Central Hospital said that this apart, a master health check up camp too would be conducted every month for a limited number of staff members in tie-up with Apollo doctors covering cardiology, orthopaedic, gynaecology, ENT, general surgery.

‘Congress will win all seats'

Major Industries Minister J.Geeta Reddy said that the Congress would win all the seats in by-elections.

Earlier in the day, she formally launched a water purification unit at Chapta (K) village in Narayanakhed mandal.

Speaking to reporters at Narayanakhed on Sunday, Ms. Geeta Reddy, who was here to participate in the launching of water purification unit in a village, said that the ruling Congress party only can carve out separate State and it was not possible for other parties. She said that development would also be on the top of priority list to the government. The Minister has also promised that seven-hour power supply would be extended to farmers even during the summer.

This was established by Satyasai Seva Samithi at a cost of Rs.5 lakh to extend purified water to the villagers. These units are being established where fluoride water problem is being faced by the residents. The Minister has commended the services being extended by Satyasai Seva Samithi in serving the people.

Though it was decided to establish water purification units at 108 villages, so far they were set up only in 60 villages.

Lok Sabha member Suresh Shetkar, legislator P.Kishta Reddy and others have participated in the programme.

Hyderabad:Kidnapped boy rescued, abductors detained

A 13-year-old boy, who was kidnapped from Vanasthalipuram on Friday, was rescued by the Cyberabad police on Sunday.

The abductors took him in a car and kept him in their hideout at Miryalguda in Nalgonda district. They later called the boy's father Ramesh, a scrap businessman, demanding ransom. Kidnappers called Ramesh twice from different coin booths and demand Rs.1 lakh from him.

They had also asked Ramesh to hand over the cash to them at Secunderabad railway station. Inquiries revealed that the accused were also involved in chain snatchings.

Three persons involved in the abduction were taken into custody. The accused committed the crime to earn quick money.

G. Manikanta, a resident of NGOs Colony in Vanasthalipuram, was abducted while he was going to watch ‘Ishq' movie.

Andhra Pradesh:Congress Minister in campaign mode on By polls

Anhdra pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Minister Basavaraj Saraiah, who is also the in-charge Minister of Adilabad district, on Sunday undertook door-to-door campaigning in favour of Congress candidate C. Ramchandra Reddy in Adilabad. With folded hands he moved around Dhobi Colony, Khursheednagar and Sundaraiahnagar seeking votes for Mr. Reddy. The Minister has been camping in Adilabad for the last 12 days to oversee his party's campaign in the March 18 by-election to Adilabad Assembly constituency.