
Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar lays stone for Rs 3.8 crore sub-station in Andhra Pradesh
He also conducted the 'First Step in Good Governance' programme, along with MLAs M Ashok Reddy, Dr Ugra Narasimha Reddy, Yerragondapalem TDP in-charge Guduri Erixion Babu, and Darsi TDP in-charge Gottipati Lakshmi.
On the occasion, Gottipati said, 'The government is committed to the welfare and development of poor. Despite financial constraints, we are implementing our poll promises, including the Super Six schemes, in a phased manner. Free RTC bus travel for women will be rolled out from August 15.'
Highlighting the legacy of the party, he said, 'TDP and its founder NTR have always prioritised the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and the poor. We will complete this sub-station within six months and finish the 220 KV sub-station left incomplete by the YSRCP regime.'
Endorsing local leader Erixion Babu, Ravi Kumar added, 'Erixion Babu worked sincerely for the development of Yerragondapalem. We were disappointed by his narrow loss in the last election. I urge you to elect him in 2029—we will fully support him.'
He called on voters to support the NDA in the next elections and ensure victory in all 12 Assembly segments in Prakasam district.
Furthermore, the energy minister added, 'Electricity consumption is increasing by 6–8% annually. We are taking all necessary steps to meet demand. We already provide free power to handloom and power loom units. Soon, we will extend up to 200 units of free electricity to barber shops.'

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


Hans India
26 minutes ago
- Hans India
BR Gavai's candid advice to students: Don't put pressure on family finances to study abroad says CJI
Hyderabad: Chief Justice of India Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has decried the growing trend of pursuing foreign degrees regardless of the financial position of the student's family. He cautioned students against doing so merely out of peer pressure, while emphasising that an international qualification was not necessarily a marker of excellence. Delivering the convocation address as chief guest at the 22nd Convocation of the NALSAR University of Law here on Saturday, he advised students to go abroad on scholarships without putting their families under financial pressure as it would cost anywhere between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 70 lakh. Addressing law students, he said that instead they could start their office, and, upon achieving stability in the profession, go abroad for studies subsequently. The CJI suggested that the trend of going abroad to study also reflected a lack of confidence in Indian postgraduate legal education and called for greater investment in LLM post-doctoral programmes within the country. He emphasised the need to retain and nurture the best legal minds within India for the benefit of the nation's legal system. The CJI said, 'Our country and the legal system are facing unique challenges. Delays in trials can sometimes go for decades. We have seen cases where someone has been found innocent after spending years in jail as an undertrial. Our best talent can help us resolve the problems that we are facing.' The Chief Justice quoted Jed S Rakoff, a senior federal district judge in the United States in this connection. The American judge in his book, 'Why the Innocent Plead Guilty and the Guilty Go Free: And Other Paradoxes of Our Broken Legal System,' had made the following remark. 'Even though I conclude that our legal system is in bad need of fixing, I remain cautiously optimistic that my fellow (citizens) will rise to the challenge.' This comment of the American judge was quoted by CJI Gavai. At the same time, he acknowledged the isolating nature of the legal profession and the structural barriers that persist within it. Drawing on a study from the United States, he pointed out how legal careers were often shaped by one's starting point—a reality that holds good also in India, where National Law Universities enjoy a perception-based advantage over other institutions, not necessarily due to superior skills but due to structural privilege. Justice Gavai urged graduates to remain grounded in strong legal foundations even as the profession had evolved in response to new global and technological developments. He stressed the crucial role of mentorship in shaping ethical and capable lawyers. Many who study abroad come back with renewed passion and fresh perspectives, but when they return, they often find institutions unwelcoming, under-resourced or closed to new ideas. There are few structured pathways for postdoctoral research, limited funding for early career scholars and opaque hiring processes that discourage even the most committed. 'This must change if we want to keep our best minds or bring them back. We must build nurturing academic environments, offer transparent and merit-based opportunities, and most importantly, restore dignity and purpose to legal research and training in India,' he said. Justice Gavai advised the young passing-out graduates to know that friends, family, books, hobbies, health and imagination were the important things that should be kept intact always.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Consumers owe Jal Board Rs 1.42 lakh cr in pending water bills, Delhi Police top defaulter
The residents of Delhi owe the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Rs 1.42 lakh crore in pending water bills, officials have said. Of this, domestic consumers only owe the board Rs 15,000 crore, or 10.5% of the total amount. Officials said that consumers in the commercial category owe the DJB Rs 66,000 crore, followed by government departments, whose unpaid bills stand at Rs 61,000 crore, while domestic consumers owe the board Rs 15,000 crore. In the government category, officials said, Delhi Police tops the list of defaulters, followed by Delhi and Central government departments. At present, there are around 26.5 lakh consumers in 41 zones of DJB, said officials. The government is already working on a one-time scheme to waive the late payment surcharge (LPSC) of water bills of consumers falling under domestic and government categories. 'Work on the plan is currently going on. The plan will be ready in the next one-and-a-half months… by September. The government will waive LPSC charges. People will only have to pay the principal amount… the modalities for the same are being prepared,' Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said. According to officials, the pending bills have been adding up over the last 10 years. 'There are about 29 lakh water connections in Delhi, which is very less as compared to the city's population. The problem is that 70%-80% of the consumers claim that they have received inflated bills. Many also complain about irregular readings… To at least get the basic principal amount from domestic consumers, which stands at Rs 5,600 crore to Rs 6,000 crore, the government is planning to bring the waiver scheme,' said an official. Also, to avoid metering issues in the future, the government is planning to revamp the billing system and implement smart meters to collect water bills in Delhi, officials said. Officials further said that the government plans to do away with the scheme to provide 20,000 liters of free water per month to every household with a functional water meter. 'The scheme was brought by the previous AAP government. The BJP government is planning to make this scheme exclusive to people from the economically weaker sections, who genuinely require free water,' the official said. Officials further said the BJP government plans to revise water tariffs in Delhi.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Amid objections, DU approves academic changes; V-C says ready for fourth year
The Executive Council of Delhi University approved several key academic and infrastructural proposals, including some controversial curriculum changes, at a meeting held on Saturday. Among the most debated revisions was the removal of papers on Pakistan, Islam and China from the postgraduate Political Science syllabus — the changes were previously cleared by the Academic Council on June 5 amid internal opposition. The EC also unanimously approved the appointment of Rajni Abbi as Director of the South Campus, with Vice Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh placing the proposal before the Council. The announcement came as DU outlined major preparations for rolling out the fourth year of undergraduate study under NEP 2020. 'Delhi University is fully prepared for the fourth year of undergraduate education under NEP-2020. About 60% of the students are likely to upgrade to the fourth year,' Prof. Singh told the Council. For colleges with faculty shortages, he said, provisions will be made to engage guest faculty and allow regular teachers to take additional classes. 'Only regular faculty will teach the fourth-year students while guest faculty will teach only junior classes,' he added. The Vice-Chancellor also clarified that 'provision will be made for proper payment for teachers as well as non-teaching staff.' The EC also cleared the construction of a hostel for girl students and working women in DU's Dhaka Campus, with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) asked to prepare the plan based on a PAR of Rs 200 crore. 'CPWD has been advised to prepare the building plan in such a way that no tree is harmed,' a statement from the varsity underlined. Plans were also approved for a new academic building, executive hostel, and two hostel expansions in the South Campus, totalling over Rs 66 crore. Additionally, a Cultural Activity Centre will be built near Shankar Lal Hall, with CPWD submitting the concept drawing. The EC noted that 17 infrastructure projects are underway across the university, valued at Rs 1,912.15 crore, with Rs 329 crore already released. Projects include a new computer centre, expansion of science and social sciences buildings, and WUS Health Centre, among others. Forty renovation projects were completed for Rs 13.34 crore. Amid complaints about concrete falling from ceilings and beams at Dhaka Campus hostels, the Engineering Department assigned CPWD to conduct a structural audit. The report cited saline water use and low concrete cover as causes of decay. 'Measures for reconstruction, dismantling, and rebuilding of some buildings' have been recommended. A subcommittee will monitor the phased retrofitting of the Rajiv Gandhi Girls' Hostel, the Undergraduate Hostel, and 70 Type-I flats. The EC also approved installing solar plants on the RESCO model in North and South Campuses, in partnership with PSU SECI under the Ministry of Renewable Energy. The Vice-Chancellor also asked the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Sanjay Rai, to submit a proposal for setting up a Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Udyan and renaming an auditorium after Ambedkar. A committee headed by Abbi will engage with Arun Jaitley's family regarding a proposed sports scholarship in his name.