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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Clearance for Metro Phase-II sought with Parliamentary Standing Committee
Hyderabad At the Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting of Housing and Urban Affairs in New Delhi on Wednesday, Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy made a strong case for the urgent sanction of Hyderabad Metro Phase-II. The MP highlighted that Hyderabad Metro Phase-I, sanctioned in 2010, is currently the second-largest Metro network in the country, after Delhi, with three corridors spanning 69 km. Despite the demand, the city is still awaiting the green signal for Phase-II, which proposes five corridors covering 76.4 km at an estimated cost of ₹24,269 crore, he said. He said that a formal request was placed before the committee to expedite the sanction detailing the approved funding pattern. He said that the Government of India's share will be ₹4,230 crore while Telangana Government will spend ₹7,313 crore, and the remaining ₹11,693 crore will be raised through debt. Mr. Reddy reminded that the Government of India approved Metro projects in 20 cities between 2012 and 2024, Chennai Metro Phase-II with ₹63,240 crore and Bengaluru Metro Phase-III with ₹15,611 crore. 'Hyderabad deserves a similar level of support,' he said.
India Gazette
22-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Should have discussed ": Congress' Chamala Reddy alleges Centre sidelined Opposition over multi-party delegation decisions
New Delhi [India], May 22 (ANI): Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for not involving opposition parties in key decisions regarding the multi-party delegation. Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said that Prime Minister Modi should have met with the leaders of opposition parties or other political parties to discuss the steps regarding the delegation. 'He should have discussed the names with the parties and finalised them. This would have shown that all the political parties are together on this stand,' said Reddy. 'We are with the government from day one after the Pahalgam attack. We want to be united to fight against terrorism. However, the political parties have their own ways of functioning,' he said while speaking to ANI. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have sat with the leaders of opposition parties or other political party leaders and discussed with them about the further action regarding this delegation,' he said. Adding further, he said, 'Political parties gave the names they were asked for. They gave their consensus to the government in a positive manner, so the government should have also responded positively. Why should they disrespect them? They should have discussed with the parties and finalised the names. This would have given the feeling to the people of the country that all the political parties are together on this stand.' Earlier, the Congress party had accused the Central government of not including all the names recommended by the Opposition for the all-party parliamentary delegation. Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, had accused the central government of playing 'cheap politics' and indulging in 'politicisation.' Jairam Ramesh alleged that despite formally submitting four names on request, the government ignored most of them, undermining parliamentary conventions and trust between the Opposition and the ruling party. Earlier today, a high-level all-party delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde arrived in Abu Dhabi and held meetings with the UAE leadership on the significance of Operation Sindoor and reaffirmed India's firm stance against cross-border terrorism. UAE is the first stop of the broader four-nation diplomatic outreach by the all-party delegation. 'The delegations held meetings with UAE leadership and media to brief on the significance of Operation Sindoor and reaffirm India's firm stance against cross-border terrorism,' the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, said in a press release. The delegation highlighted the perpetration of cross-border terrorism and efforts to cause social disharmony in India by Pakistan. The day concluded with an interaction with the Indian community based in the UAE, recognising their vital contributions and reaffirming India's commitment to its diaspora. The delegation addressed and commended the diaspora for upholding the values of tolerance, pluralism, and unity, and for resisting divisive efforts aimed at destabilising India's social fabric. On Friday, the delegation is scheduled to participate in closed-door strategic dialogues with leading think tanks and thought leaders based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. India had launched Operation Sindoor and carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. India also responded effectively to subsequent Pakistan aggression. (ANI)
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Telangana grappling with officer deficit
The Telangana government is facing severe hardships due to the absence of the required number of All India Services (AIS) officers as senior secretaries, Heads of Departments and other key posts, notwithstanding the progress the State has been making in various key parameters. The sanctioned strength of IAS officers at the time of the State formation in 2014 was 163, while the allocated strength of IPS officers was 139, and 81 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers were sanctioned for the State. The strength of IAS officers has since increased to 208 after the Centre sanctioned an additional 45 posts for Telangana. However, the State had only 170 IAS officers in position last year — 38 less than the sanctioned strength — with no significant increase since then. There was also a shortage of nine IPS officers. In all, 57 IFS officers were on duty, as against the sanctioned strength of 81, at a time when the threat of the Maoist resurgence, especially in the forests and fringe areas, continues to haunt the administration. Bridging the gap Faced with a shortage of officers to man crucial departments, the State has been requesting the Centre to allot more officers to bridge the gap in the delivery of services to the people. The Telangana government has repeatedly stressed the need to enhance cadre strength, especially in view of the reorganisation of the State into 33 districts in place of 10, in the interest of administrative convenience. This requires at least 22 posts each for District Collectors and Superintendents of Police, in addition to other posts such as Joint Collectors and other roles filled by bureaucrats fresh into service. The Centre has no doubt conceded the request to increase the strength of IAS officers by direct recruitment and promotions, but asserted that the process would be spread over a while. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha in December that the review of the IPS cadre in Telangana was under active consideration, but it was not feasible to specify a definite timeline for the process as it would be spread over a period of time. Replying to a query by Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, the Minister acknowledged that Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy sent proposals regarding cadre review in January, August and October last year. A similar proposal was received from the Telangana government in 2021, and 49 IPS officers have been appointed since then. According to a written reply given to the Lok Sabha by the Home Ministry in December last, there were 15 vacancies of direct recruits, 23 promotion posts of IAS officers and one and eight posts in the IPS cadre, respectively, in Telangana. The plight of the State government in managing with the limited available resources is evident in its continued reliance on senior officers being given full additional charge of multiple departments. The recent major reshuffle of the IAS officers, the first major one after Mr. Revanth Reddy took over the reins, has close to 10 officers given full additional charge of different departments. The government has been requesting the Centre to allot at least 60 additional AIS officers and more IPS officers, given the requirements on account of district reorganisation and perceived Maoist activity. The Chief Minister, during his recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requested the Centre to allot 29 more IPS officers, especially senior officers, to effectively maintain the law-and-order situation and control the threats posed by Maoists; however, the request has not been conceded yet. Officials blamed the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for not taking steps to revise cadre strength for almost nine years (Telangana was allotted 45 IAS officers in 2016). The DoPT, according to norms, should revise the cadre strength once every five years. As Telangana continues its progress with a growth rate much higher than other States, the Centre should positively consider the State's request to increase the allocation of AIS officers, as it will go a long way in the effective implementation of the schemes and programmes. The step is administratively expedient, not politically, in the larger interest of the people as a whole.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Congress leaders blame BRS for RTC stir, financial woes
Hyderabad: IT and industries minister D Sridhar Babu, Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and MLC Addanki Dayakar on Tuesday criticised BRS working president K T Rama Rao for attempting to provoke govt and RTC employees . They accused him of conveniently forgetting that his father and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not hold talks with RTC unions despite a 52-day strike during which some corporation employees died in Sridhar Babu also reminded KTR that the previous govt, unable to pay retirement benefits, increased the retirement age of govt employees from 58 to 61 years."The Congress govt is not going to stop any of the welfare schemes. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy was only trying to explain the factual financial condition of the state to the people and employees. It was a colloquial expression of anguish and an appeal to the employees' unions to cooperate with the govt. It is unfortunate that the main opposition BRS is trying to derive political mileage out of the issue when the fact is that it is the previous BRS govt which is responsible for the precarious financial position of the state. The incumbent Congress govt is trying to reverse the situation," he govt employees used to receive salaries even in the third week of the month during the previous BRS govt term. "Now, they are receiving them on the first of every month. The helicopter being used by the ministers was hired by the previous BRS govt, and it is better to utilise it as the govt has to pay for it whether it uses it or not," he govt and RTC employees understood the state's fiscal position, and the latter agreed to defer their strike. Even the govt employees have said they would hold talks with the govt with a positive mindset. "All these positive developments have not gone down well with BRS as its attempts to instigate the employees did not yield results," he alleged."The govt is not targeting IAS officer Smita Sabharwal. There are a set of rules for the IAS officers and us (ministers) also. We have to follow them. The Maoists should join mainstream life, and the central govt should take all steps towards achieving this endeavour," the minister said.
