logo
Plans afoot to develop over 13,000 km of roads: Telangana DY CM Bhatti

Plans afoot to develop over 13,000 km of roads: Telangana DY CM Bhatti

HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Tuesday said that the state government has decided to develop 13,137 km of roads — 7,947 km under Panchayat Raj department and 5,190 km under R&B department in 17 packages.
The government will soon call for tenders for these road projects and start the works at the earliest, he added.
The deputy CM was speaking at the 'Telangana Road Development Programme Roadshow Hybrid Annuity Model' meeting organised jointly by Panchayat Raj and R&B departments at HICC in Hyderabad to financially encourage contractors and bankers.
Roads & Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Panchayat Raj Minister Dansari Anasuya alias Seethakka also attended the meeting.
Stating that the state government was aware of the problems being faced by the contractors, Vikramarka explained: 'The previous government had entered into several agreements for development works worth `1.75 lakh crore and it also issued tokens for works worth `45,000 crore. However, it failed to clear those dues, leaving behind a financial burden on the present government.'
'With the chief minister, ministers, and government secretaries focusing on resolving this matter, the financial situation is gradually improving and the government is working to overcome the difficulties faced by contractors,' he added.
The deputy CM said that the Congress government considers contractors, industrialists and investors as partners in wealth creation.
'In view of the growing traffic problems, there is a need to upgrade some roads into four-lane roads,' he said and instructed the officials to prepare the list of roads that need attention at the earliest and place it before the state Cabinet for approval.
He said that the government will contribute 40 per cent of funds for HAM roads and is in the process of mobilising necessary resources. Small contractors will be given opportunities in HAM road works, he asserted.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Odisha: Direct flight between Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda launched
Odisha: Direct flight between Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda launched

News18

time7 hours ago

  • News18

Odisha: Direct flight between Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda launched

Agency: PTI Bhubaneswar, Aug 16 (PTI) A direct flight between Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda was flagged off by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday. The service, operated by Star Air, has been launched under the state's B-MAAN (Building and Management of Aviation Assets and Network) scheme. 'This milestone will not only bring western Odisha closer to the state capital but also give a substantial boost to industrial growth, tourism, and cultural exchange. The launch of this route is expected to enhance regional air connectivity, bridge distances within the state, and create inclusive and accessible aviation infrastructure for all sections of society," Majhi said. Star Air will operate a 76-seater aircraft from Tuesday to Saturday on the route. view comments First Published: August 17, 2025, 00:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Explainer: The Trump–Putin Summit and its Immediate Consequences For New Delhi
Explainer: The Trump–Putin Summit and its Immediate Consequences For New Delhi

The Wire

time10 hours ago

  • The Wire

Explainer: The Trump–Putin Summit and its Immediate Consequences For New Delhi

New Delhi: For India, the Trump–Putin summit in Anchorage was more than a geopolitical spectacle in the frozen north. Rather, it carried immediate consequences for New Delhi's economic future. With the US having slapped punitive tariffs on Indian goods for Russian oil purchases, New Delhi watched the meeting closely, weighing whether Trump's diplomacy might ease the pressure or deepen its bind. Here is The Wire's explainer on what unfolded in Alaska on Saturday (August 16), and what it could mean for India. What exactly happened at the Trump–Putin summit in Anchorage? The day began with a carefully staged welcome at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. US President Donald Trump's plane landed shortly after 10:20 a.m., and Russian President Vladimir Putin followed about half an hour later. Just after 11 a.m., the two leaders walked out onto a red-carpeted platform marked 'Alaska 2025,' framed by four F-22 fighter jets and a flyover that included a B-2 stealth bomber. After the handshake and photo op, Trump invited Putin into his presidential limousine. The pair spoke privately for a few minutes on the short ride to the venue, a break from protocol that underscored Trump's preference for unscripted encounters. Formal talks began around 11:30 a.m. in a 'three-on-three' format. Trump sat with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin was flanked by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and adviser Yuri Ushakov. The discussions ran for nearly three hours before concluding in the mid-afternoon. At about 3 p.m., the two leaders appeared before the press to deliver short statements, but they took no questions and announced no breakthrough. Putin departed soon afterwards, while Trump left Anchorage in the early evening for his return flight to Washington. In total, Putin's first visit to US in ten years, lasted less than six hours. Did Trump manage to secure a ceasefire, or did the talks end without progress? While flying to Anchorage, Trump told a Fox News anchor on Air Force One that he 'won't be happy' if he did not get a ceasefire deal at the summit. That set expectations for the meeting, which ran for nearly three hours behind closed doors. Yet when the two leaders appeared before the press, it was clear no such agreement had been reached. Trump nonetheless struck an upbeat note. 'We really made some great progress today,' he said, stressing that negotiations were ongoing and that more meetings would follow. He did not provide details of what that progress involved. 'There were many, many points that we agreed on, most of them, I would say, a couple of big ones that we haven't quite gotten there, but we've made some headway. So there's no deal until there is a deal,' he said. Later in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News, he said that the onus was now on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to get a cease-fire deal. Putin also kept up the optimistic narrative. 'We held our talks in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere, and they have proved substantive and productive.' The Russian President flattered Trump by stating that the Ukraine war would not have started if Trump had been president. He also restated Moscow's demands for a 'long-term and lasting' settlement on Ukraine war – addressing the 'root causes' of the conflict, ensuring 'all of Russia's legitimate concerns' are met, and restoring a 'fair security balance in Europe and the rest of the world.' He signalled, standing next to the US President, that the roadblock lay across the Atlantic. 'We hope that Kiev and the European capitals will take the current developments constructively and will neither try to put up obstacles nor attempt to disrupt the emerging progress with provocative acts or behind-the-scenes plots.' Does the outcome make Putin the real winner of the meeting? For Vladimir Putin, the Alaska summit represented a clear diplomatic victory, one achieved without compromise. Back in Moscow, the tone was jubilant. 'The very fact of the meeting in Alaska, its tone, and its outcome represent a significant and joint success for both presidents, each of whom made a tremendous personal contribution to achieving the best possible result at this time," Konstantin Kosachyov, a chair of the foreign affairs committee of Russia's upper house of parliament, wrote on Telegram, according to Reuters. Others were more blunt. As one senior Russian policymaker told The Guardian, 'Putin gave Trump nothing, but still got everything he wanted.' The absence of new sanctions, Trump's tacit recognition of Moscow's red lines, and the symbolism of being treated as an equal to the US president all fed into the narrative of triumph. Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev also singled out Trump's refusal to escalate pressure on Moscow over Ukraine as one of the most important outcomes. He described the summit as a restoration of top-level dialogue that was 'peaceful, free of ultimatums or threats,' and noted that Putin had 'presented our conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine … in person and in detail.' In the United States, however, the verdict was also clear that Putin had scored a PR goal. The Washington Post called the summit ' not a disaster, but it was a US defeat.' The New York Times argued that Putin had effectively achieved a major war goal. ' He has gotten out of the box of sanctioned autocrat, and was greeted by the president of the United States as a peacemaker. He has bought time. He has defused all that talk of sanctions on his oil sector. And he gave up nothing'. How did Europe and Ukraine react to the summit? European leaders, led by Germany, France, the UK, Italy and the EU, issued a joint statement reaffirming their unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and insisting that Russia could not dictate Kyiv's future ties with NATO or the EU. They pledged to tighten sanctions and maintain economic pressure on Moscow until what they described as a just and lasting peace is achieved. While leaders such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron praised Donald Trump's initiative in meeting Vladimir Putin, they stressed that any talks must be coupled with strong security guarantees for Ukraine. Kyiv's response was more guardedly optimistic. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed Trump's proposal for a trilateral format with Ukraine included, but said European participation was essential to ensure binding guarantees. He confirmed he would travel to Washington on Monday after a 'long and substantive' phone call with Trump, noting 'positive signals' about the United States taking part in future security arrangements. Trump's post-summit remarks on Fox News, however, fuelled unease in Kyiv and in several European capitals. In an interview with Sean Hannity, he contrasted Russia's status with Ukraine's, saying: 'Russia is a very big power, and they're not' and added that Zelenskiy 'gotta make a deal.' For many European officials, this reinforced fears that Trump might pressure Kyiv into concessions without securing reciprocal guarantees from Moscow. How did New Delhi react, and what drives that stance? India welcomed the Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, framing it as a positive step toward dialogue. 'India welcomes the Summit meeting in Alaska between President Trump and President Putin,' Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, adding that New Delhi 'consistently advocates dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward in resolving the Ukraine conflict.' He noted that India 'appreciates the progress made in the Summit'. 'India welcomes the Summit meeting in Alaska between President Trump and President Putin,' Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, adding that New Delhi 'consistently advocates dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward in resolving the Ukraine conflict.' He also noted that India 'appreciates the progress made in the Summit.' New Delhi's response can be read as relief that the focus on dialogue creates a potential opening for India, which has been squeezed between its strategic partnership with Washington and its heavy reliance on Russian energy. That pressure intensified earlier this month when the US raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent, following secondary sanctions of 25 percent on Russian oil purchases. India, the second-largest buyer of Russian crude after China, was singled out by the measures. While Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he would hold off on penalising China for now, the uncertainty over whether India will face continued tariffs remains. Could India gain some relief on US tariffs as a side-effect of Trump's diplomacy? Donald Trump's latest push to nudge Moscow towards a Ukraine deal has raised questions in New Delhi over whether India might see relief from the steep US tariffs imposed on Russian oil imports. The additional 25 percent duty, announced in late August, coincided with signs of Trump's growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Indian officials viewed the sanctions partly as an extension of that irritation. En route to Alaska, Trump told Fox News that India had been forced to stop buying Russian oil because of the tariffs. Former Indian ambassador to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria described the Alaska meeting as 'reassuring' for India. 'The first good news is that the meeting took place,' he told The Wire, noting there were 'no shock outcomes of trouble' and no sign of 'a complete breakdown in that relationship.' He said Trump appeared to hint at flexibility. 'There was an indication he will either give more time to India for the 25 percent sanctions… or he will reverse them, or he will give that a bigger timeline,' Bisaria said. While there was brewing backlash in Washington that Putin may have gained an upper hand, Trump may still continue to believe that he is on the right path. 'He may be hearing other voices in his ear,' he said, pointing out that while some in Trump's circle are Russia hawks, 'the MAGA base supports him ending the wars. So, there won't be an issue with them.' Bisaria, however, added that conditions in Ukraine could yet derail any opening. 'If there's a major escalation in battlefield violence, that is a danger to the process, because right now it's the most fragile,' he said. In his view, both Trump and Putin are interested in a deal, with Ukraine and Europe seeking at least the optics of being consulted.

At home, Trump gets panned for 'surrendering' to Putin
At home, Trump gets panned for 'surrendering' to Putin

Time of India

time10 hours ago

  • Time of India

At home, Trump gets panned for 'surrendering' to Putin

Photo/Agencies TOI correspondent from Washington: Absent a formal agreement, statements or read-outs, analysts unpacked everything from choreography of the arrival to body language at the meeting to read the tea leaves, with the broad consensus being Putin conceded nothing while overcoming his pariah status in the west with a meeting on American territory. Some critics described Trump's effort as "low energy," recalling his warning that he would walk out if the talks if Putin was not conciliatory and his claim that he would know within two minutes of meeting if the Russian leader was ready to make a deal. But after nearly three hours of talks, Putin appeared to have engaged the realtor-turned-President as salesman or messenger for relaying his terms to EU leaders and Zelensky, while tacitly making his way back to the global mainstream. Trump repeatedly referred to Putin as "Vladimir" and exuded friendly vibes -- even deference -- towards the Russian leader, in contrast to the intimidation he subjects many other leaders to. Putin too cosied up to Trump, endorsing the US President's claim that there would have been no war if he (Trump), rather than Biden, had won a second term in 2020. When Trump suggested that they will probably be seeing each other again very soon, the Russian leader quickly interjected with "Next time in Moscow." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ‍♂️ Explore How Local Spa Salons Create a Calming Experience SpellRock Undo Trump: "I'll get a little heat on that one... but I could see it possibly happening." Earlier, Trump warmly welcomed Putin at the Elmendorf Air Force Base (AFB), clapping as the Russia leader alighted from his plane and walked a red carpet that looked as if it had been retrieved from a thrift store and rolled out. Putin, who has a black belt in judo, held firm as Trump, who towered several inches above him, rolled out his "yank shake." It was the Russian leader's first formal visit to the US since 2007 -- not counting a trip to the United Nations in 2015 -- and it effectively ended his isolation in the west. Putin has visited India half a dozen times in the same period, including as state guest for India's Republic Day in 2007, and three visits tied to the annual Russia-India summit. While MAGA partisans saw Trump's glad-handling, a flypast by a B-2 stealth bomber flanked by four F-35s, and a line-up of F-22 Raptors on the tarmac as "power moves" and "epic flex" by the US President, critics saw it as a sign of undeserving respect for the visiting dignitary. Both leaders looked up to the sky to see the timed fly-past with Trump trying to say something to Putin over the roar of the jets before they took the Presidential limousine nicknamed the "Beast" for talks that extended longer than anticipated given lack of clear outcome. Critics, mostly on the Democratic/Moderate/Liberal spectrum, excoriated Trump for "folding" before the Russian leader, saying the meeting was high on optics but low on substance, and it would eventually result in throwing Ukraine under the bus. But many MAGA faithful argued that there was no compelling reason the US has to carry the burden of European insecurity and treat Russia, an Arctic neighbor, as an enemy, and concessions by Ukraine and EU was inevitable if there has to be peace.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store