
Vigilance probe on ‘Aadudam Andhra' reaches final stages
The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (Saap) has point-ed to a massive scam worth Rs 60-65 crore in the imple-mentation of the programme, which was rolled out in De-cember 2023 in the name of promoting sports such as cricket, volleyball, kabaddi, kho-kho, and badminton from village to district levels.
Saap chairman A Ravi Naidu, speaking to The Hans India, stated that the district-level vigilance inquiry has been completed and a state-level probe is currently in progress, with the final report expected anytime in August. 'We have identified irregularities in procurements, cash incen-tives, food supplies, medals, and publicity. The final report will shed light on the lapses and name the individuals re-sponsible,' he said.
The state government had sanctioned Rs 25,000 per man-dal, municipality, and assembly constituency, and Rs 10,000 per ward and village secretariat to conduct the sports events, amounting to Rs 81 lakh for Chittoor district and Rs 83 lakh for Tirupati district alone.
However, the kits provided — including bats, balls, shuttle rackets, t-shirts, and corks — have been widely criticised by players for their substandard quality. Several partici-pants across various levels reported that the equipment was unusable after just a single game. Complaints of the leftover kits not reaching local schools, as per government orders, have added another layer of concern, sparking questions over their possible diversion.
Adding to the controversy are claims of political interfer-ence in the selection of winners during the programme's contests. There are accusations that the YSRCP govern-ment allegedly influenced the results to benefit its party loyalists. Vigilance officials are also examining reports that cash prizes earmarked for winners were either delayed or not credited at all, pointing to possible misappropriation of funds.
Vigilance authorities are now finalising their comprehen-sive report, which will be submitted to the government very soon. Sources indicate that the findings could trigger administrative or legal proceedings against those found guilty.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indian Express
4 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Evicted families install Goddess statues at Chandola lake, AMC razes awnings over them
Dotted along the freshly-cleared shores of Ahmedabad's Chandola lake, are statues of Dashama, the kuldevi (clan deity) of the Devipujak community. Members of families, evicted from their illegal settlements in May as part of the Chandola Lakefront development project, on Wednesday were rebuilding tents and awnings to shelter the statues from the heat and rain. Despite renting homes in other parts of the city, often far away, these families returned to the sites of their destroyed homes to install the statues and observe a 10-day fast and prayer ritual before immersing the statues in the Sabarmati river. However, as part of its weekly cleanup drive at the lake, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation officials from the South Zone along with police, to make sure that there is no encroachment on the roughly 4 lakh square metres of land between and around the three water bodies, including the Mota Chandola (Greater) and two Nana Chandola (Lesser) lakes, cleared the awnings and tents set up over the Dashama statues as well. The entire area of Chandola lake is 11 lakh square metres. According to the AMC, it cleared a total of 12,500 residential, commercial and religious structures in two phases of demolitions in May. 'They threw us out of here and we left. But Dashama is here only for 10 days. Why can't they allow her to be here in peace,' said a female former resident who is fasting for all 10 days. As of Wednesday, there were five more days to go before the immersion of the statues. 'They told us to move the statues and then demolished the tents on Wednesday at about 11:30 am,' said Vishnu Dantani, whose mother has set up a statue in the lane behind the Jogani Mata temple on the main road, just 250 metres from Suryanagar police chowki, which was the staging point of the demolition drive. A former resident of the area, Gopal Govind Dantani, 52, who happened to be present during the clean up drive on Wednesday, told the Indian Express, 'We assured the officials that we have moved to a rented accommodation in Bhaipura and we have come only to install the statue of Dashama and pray for 10 days after which we will leave. But they still broke the sheds built over the statues.' Pointing to the edge of the waterline, where his home once stood, Gopal said: 'This was our home. We have been installing the statue here for the last 5 years and this is probably the last time we are doing it here.' Sharing the reason behind installing the statue here, Gopal said, 'Our entire life has been uprooted from here. We are already facing problems in getting rented homes because landlords are asking for a Rs 10,000 deposit because they know we have been evicted and are homeless. We can barely afford it. On top of that, when we asked the Mother Goddess if we could take her to our rented home, the Devi declined, which is why we had to come and install the statue here.' The same refrain was repeated by several other evictees, who claimed that a Bhuwa — an oracle of the Goddess — had consulted the deity on moving out of Chandola lake, but she had allegedly refused to budge on the issue. Widow, Meena Poonam Dantani, 62, who has set up a foot-tall statue of Dashama, dressed in red vestments, said: 'My daughter is fasting for all 10 days and I have set up Dashama here at her insistence but the dabaan (estate) department people came and tore it down. They asked us to remove the statue but we refused. They, however, removed the awning without touching the deity,' said Meena. Standing behind the statue and straightening the creases in the fabric of the vestments, Meena said that she would not let the 'statue budge till the 10 days were over and Dashama was immersed in the river'. 'Not a religious issue' Meanwhile, BC Parmar, the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DyMC) of the South Zone told The Indian Express, 'This is not a religious issue but one where we have to make sure that no illegal construction comes up in Chandola Lake again. To make sure that people living there earlier don't return and new people don't try to encroach, we conduct a weekly drive with help of the police. However, we have instructed the teams not to touch the statues of Dashama during this drive.' As Gopal's wife Kavita tried to gather her three children for the evening prayers at their little shrine, another woman on the other side of the road quietly prayed to the Goddess while lighting a lamp in her home shrine with a portrait of the deity. Day 5 of fasting was over. Five more days of the festival left to go.


Indian Express
4 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘A robust platform to empower young entrepreneurs': CM inaugurates CM YUVA Conclave
CHIEF MINISTER Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday inaugurated the CM YUVA Conclave and Expo-2025 in Lucknow. The CM YUVA Yojna has been launched under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan. Adityanath said that over 68,000 youths have so far received interest-free and collateral-free loans amounting to Rs 2,751 crore under the scheme. The state government is offering 10 per cent margin money assistance to support budding entrepreneurs further. Highlighting the potential of Uttar Pradesh's youths, he said, 'CM YUVA Yojana is not just a financial aid programme, but a robust platform providing mentorship, market access and essential resources to empower young entrepreneurs.' He directed officials to ensure that at least 50 youngsters from each district visit the exhibition so they can gain firsthand knowledge about various government schemes, startup resources and market opportunities. He also inaugurated the exhibition and launched 'UP Mart', a portal for machinery suppliers, aimed at easing access to essential tools and equipment for startups. Also, 17 MoUs were signed in the CM's presence to boost entrepreneurship in the state. Underscoring the unique features of the scheme, Adityanath noted that it addresses the key challenges faced by aspiring entrepreneurs— lack of capital, training, and guidance. 'This is not just a scheme —it's a movement. A golden opportunity for every youth who has a dream but lacks resources,' he said. Addressing university Vice-Chancellors and youths at the CM YUVA Conclave, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed concern over the growing disconnect between academic institutions and society. 'Our institutions are becoming isolated islands, increasingly cut off from the people and government schemes. This disconnect is dangerous,' he said. He pointed out that due to lack of information, many young people fall prey to fraudulent schemes, get burdened by debt and are often left with no choice but to migrate in search of opportunities. 'But now, this cycle will end,' he asserted. The CM highlighted several initiatives launched to revive Uttar Pradesh's traditional industries, including handicrafts, cottage industries, and the MSME sector. 'Today, there is no licensing requirement for the first 1,000 days of starting a new enterprise in the state. We are also providing an insurance cover of ₹5 lakh to support young entrepreneurs,' he said. Reflecting on the 2017 Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra of the BJP, prepared under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said that a commitment was made to promote traditional industries through a dedicated scheme. Acting on this, a statewide survey was conducted post-2017, which revealed that every district had unique traditional enterprises. However, due to corruption, lawlessness, and large-scale migration, these industries had nearly collapsed. The CM said that the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme has helped boost Uttar Pradesh's exports from Rs 86,000 crore to over Rs 2 lakh crore. 'Earlier, Chinese products flooded the markets during festivals. Today, locally made ODOP items are finding a place in every household,' he added. He also announced that products from Uttar Pradesh would be prominently featured at an International Trade Show scheduled from September 25 to 29, 2025, at the India Expo Centre in Noida. 'The Buyer-Seller Meet held at this event has become a massive platform for showcasing the state's potential. No one would have imagined such innovation and enterprise from UP just a few years ago. From four lakh participants in the first year to five lakh in the second, the show is pushing forward our vision of taking local products to the global stage,' he said.


Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
Guru Tegh Bahadur Chair at Punjabi University suffers neglect amid funding row
Patiala: As Punjab and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) clash over the commemoration of Guru Tegh Bahadur's 350th martyrdom anniversary, concerns are mounting over the severe neglect and underfunding of the Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur National Integration Chair at Punjabi University, Patiala. Established in 1993 as the National Integration Chair and renamed in 2005 to honour the ninth Sikh Guru, the Chair was intended to promote research and awareness of Guru Tegh Bahadur's philosophy, sacrifice, and teachings. However, it has suffered from severe underfunding and administrative apathy over the years. From 1993 to 1996, the Chair was independently headed by Prof H S Deol. Since then, it operated under ad hoc arrangements, with additional charge handed to university faculty due to persistent financial constraints. In 2024, the Chair was formally attached to the history department, with its head Dr Sandeep Kaur serving as its in-charge. "Two books have been published focusing on Guru Tegh Bahadur's life and teachings, and a third is expected to release around the 350th martyrdom anniversary. We have also conducted 14 annual lectures under the Shaheed Nanak Singh Memorial Lecture series, and a week-long workshop was held in 2013," Dr Kaur said. Former in-charge Daljit Singh, who served for eight years, said eight books were published during his tenure. Yet, faculty members lament the Chair's lack of autonomy and consistent financial backing. "Only an initial grant of about Rs 5 lakh was allocated by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee in 2005, with no fresh funds sanctioned thereafter," a senior professor said. "A dedicated head and proper funding could have vastly amplified its impact, particularly for research on Guru Tegh Bahadur's travels," the professor added. Despite recent eagerness to commemorate the Guru's martyrdom, a university delegation's oral request for funding was reportedly denied. Punjabi University vice-chancellor Dr Jagdeep Singh confirmed efforts to secure support. "We have written to the central govt requesting a grant of around Rs 10 crore and also sought Rs 5crore from the state govt to revive the Chair and support research," he said. "However, since the Chair was originally established by the Centre, funding has become entangled in Centre-state dynamics," he added. MSID:: 122995075 413 |