Latest news with #EatalaRajender
NDTV
04-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Kaleshwaram Report Slams KCR, 2 Ex-Telangana Ministers' "Brazen" Actions
Hyderabad: Ex-Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and two members of his former cabinet - Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and Finance Minister Eatala Rajender - have been accused of "brazen procedural and financial irregularities" over the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. The 650-page report singled out Bharat Rashtra Samithi boss KCR, as the former Chief Minister is called, for taking the "sole and individual decision" to construct the barrages at certain locations by ignoring government protocol, including approval of his cabinet of ministers. The report, which also named senior IAS officials of the time, said the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages suffered from a "profound failure of governance, planning, and oversight". Authored by a Commission of Inquiry, the report also noted that experts' recommendations the Medigadda barrage should not be constructed - due to 'prohibitive costs' - was "intentionally not considered" and kept in "cold storage" by KCR and the then-Irrigation Minister, Harish Rao. The report, therefore, held KCR directly accountable for a cascade of irregularities and said his "involvement and directions minutely... is the cause and result of irregularities and the cause of distress to these three barrages". The Irrigation Minister at the time, Harish Rao, was held jointly responsible for the suppression of the report about the Medigadda barrage. And, according to the inquiry commission, the Finance Minister at the time, Eatala Rajender, allegedly demonstrated a "lack of commitment and integrity in safeguarding the financial and economic health of the newly-formed state". While Harish Rao remains with KCR's Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Eatala Rajender joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in June 2021, two years before the Assembly election in which the Congress would dump the BRS, which had ruled Telangana since it was formed, out of power. The inquiry commission's findings, meanwhile, also held named senior IAS officers, including SK Joshi, the then Principal Secretary to the government's Irrigation and Command Area Development, allegedly helped suppress the Medigadda barrage report. Another officer named was Smita Sabharwal, the Additional Secretary/Secretary to the Chief Minister at the time. The report said she did not act in a "diligent" manner. The report has set the stage for potential legal and political repercussions, with the commission explicitly calling for the recovery of funds and an investigation into what it described as "collusion between project authorities and contractors". It concluded that a project once hailed as the 'lifeline of the state' has become a colossal waste of public money due to a deep-seated failure of leadership and accountability at the highest levels.
Hans India
02-08-2025
- Health
- Hans India
India Nears Completion of Phase III Dengue Vaccine Trials
New Delhi/Hyderabad: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has confirmed significant progress in the Phase III trial of India's first dengue vaccine, 'DengiAll.' This clinical study, conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), aims to evaluate the efficacy of a live attenuated tetravalent vaccine against all four known serotypes of the dengue virus. This update was provided in response to a question raised by Eatala Rajender, a Member of Parliament, during a Lok Sabha session on Friday. The multi-centre trial has enrolled over 10,000 participants, with more than 70% of the enrollment completed. The study is being conducted at 20 designated research centres across India, including key sites such as JSS Medical College and Hospital in Mysore (Karnataka), Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute in Bengaluru (Karnataka), and AIIMS Bibinagar in Hyderabad (Telangana). Each site has been allocated a budget of approximately Rs 1.3 to Rs 1.5 crore. Dengue remains a major public health challenge in India. Data from the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) indicates that there were 573,563 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases reported in 2024, ranking the country among the top 30 worldwide for disease there is no licensed antiviral treatment or vaccine available for dengue in India. The treatment protocol is supportive, following national clinical management guidelines developed by the Union Health Ministry. These guidelines have been shared with all states and Union Territories to enhance preparedness and response capabilities during outbreaks. Given the circulation of all four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4) across different regions of India—sometimes even within the same individual—the ICMR has strategically selected trial zones that reflect this viral diversity. This method aims to assess the vaccine's broad-spectrum efficacy. In parallel, the government is implementing efforts under the National Health Mission (NHM), which include vector control measures, fogging operations, public awareness campaigns, and improved surveillance infrastructure. Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals and Apex Laboratories have been established to facilitate free diagnosis and reporting.
Hindustan Times
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Telangana BJP faces internal rift ahead of local body polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana facing internal wrangling ahead of the elections to the local bodies in the state in September and to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) scheduled in December, party functionaries familiar with the development said. At least three prominent OBC leaders – Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender, Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind and Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh – were in the race for becoming the state BJP president, but the party high command chose Ramachander Rao, a relatively soft-spoken leader, for the post. (X/@Arvindharmapuri) At a time when 42% reservations for the other backward classes (OBCs) has become a big political issue in the local body elections, the appointment of an upper caste leader N Ramachander Rao as the Telangana state BJP president on July 1 has triggered discontent within the party. At least three prominent OBC leaders – Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender, Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind and Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh – were in the race for becoming the state BJP president, but the party high command chose Ramachander Rao, a relatively soft-spoken leader, for the post. Raja Singh, who alleged that he was denied the opportunity to file his nomination on June 30, resigned from the party and the high command accepted his resignation within no time. 'Raja Singh is the lone BJP MLA from Hyderabad and his leadership is crucial for the party to win the GHMC elections. So, the way the BJP leadership treated him was humiliating and it has terribly upset the BJP cadre in Hyderabad. It will definitely have an impact on the party prospects in the GHMC polls,' a senior BJP leader, who refused to be quoted, said. In fact, Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind, too, expressed his dissatisfaction over the way Raja Singh issue was handled. 'All said and done, Raja Singh was an ideological icon for the BJP. But he was upset with the party on certain issues and quit the party. I am sure the party will take him back. It is a question of just one telephonic call,' Arvind told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday. On the other hand, Eatala Rajender, who was the front runner for the state BJP president post, was upset not only for being denied the opportunity, but also for being sidelined in the party, particularly in erstwhile combined Karimnagar district, which he had dominated when he was in the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the past. According to the party leader quoted above, Rajender has been facing troubles from Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay, who represents Karimnagar parliamentary constituency. 'Obviously, Sanjay doesn't want Rajender to wield influence on the party in Karimnagar, as the latter is a relatively new comer to the BJP – he had joined the BJP in June, 2021,' he said. At a programme held in Huzurabad assembly constituency last week, Sanjay made an indirect attack on Rajender, who had earlier represented the constituency in the past. He said the party would not encourage leaders who worked for their individual domination, but only those who were loyal to the party. 'Why has groupism developed in Huzurabad when such divisions are not seen elsewhere in the state?' he said, adding that such indiscipline will not be tolerated in the party. Within hours of Sanjay's comments, BJP Huzurabad constituency convener Mada Goutham Reddy, a close follower of Rajender, resigned from the party's primary membership. 'None of Rajender's followers was invited for Sanjay's programme in Huzurabad,' he alleged. The next day, Rajender's followers came to his residence in Hyderabad and brought pressure on him to decide his future course of action. He tried to convince them saying he would fight it out and get justice for them. Speaking to his followers, Rajender alleged that during the previous Huzurabad assembly election, several people conspired to defeat him. He said that insults and humiliation are part of politics, and he endured them. 'I only believe in a straight fight, not a street fight. I cannot engage in double standards or backstabbing politics. I fight my enemies head-on. I have a history of fighting for a separate Telangana state,' he said. Without taking the name of Bandi Sanjay, Eatala said some leaders in politics are living on foundations of lies. 'I only know how to work sincerely for the party. Time will prove everything. A brave person never backs down and knows the limits of patience,' he said. He clarified that whichever party he was in, I would work with dedication. 'I don't need anyone's mercy. Not just in politics — covert players exist everywhere. We should ignore them,' he added. On the ongoing cold war between Rajender and Sanjay, Dharmapuri Arvind said the party should resolve the dispute at the earliest in the best interest of the party. 'The BJP leadership should constitute a neutral committee to look into the disputes between the two MPs. Newly-appointed state BJP president Ramachander Rao should take the initiative in this regard. If necessary, he should seek the intervention of party national leadership,' Arvind said.
Hans India
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Eatala presents wish list to Vaishnaw
Hyderabad: Malkajgiri Lok Sabha member Eatala Rajender met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday and presented a representation highlighting several issues. The MP urged the union minister to give effect to the compassionate appointments, which should be made to provide relief to the families of workers who died due to medical and other reasons. Similarly, he asked for carrying out the feasibility of constructing a railway line in the part where the facilities for the Medaram Sammakka-Sarakka Jatara, the largest tribal festival in Asia, take place, and transportation facilities should be facilitated for the devotees. Besides, he urged the construction of the ROB at Ayodhya X Road to be taken up soon.
Hans India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Eatala highlights major infrastructure plans for Cantonment
Hyderabad: Malkajgiri Member of Parliament Eatala Rajender addressed the media following his participation in the Cantonment Board meeting, outlining substantial development initiatives aimed at upgrading the region's civic infrastructure and mitigating long-standing flooding concerns. Rajender announced that the state government had deposited compensation funds for lands acquired under the Rajiv Road and Nagpur Highway flyover projects, ensuring transparency and support for affected residents. He highlighted the severe flooding issues faced by areas adjacent to Hussain Sagar, where rainfall often causes water levels to rise up to ten feet, inundating homes in the cantonment. To resolve this, a budget of Rs 303 crores has been allocated to develop efficient drainage and sewerage systems that will prevent waterlogging and improve sanitation across the area. The MP emphasized that colonies in Sitaramapuram are especially flood-prone and consistently bear the brunt of heavy rainfall. He confirmed plans to identify and implement a permanent solution to protect residents in this vulnerable locality. Rajender also addressed environmental concerns in Ramannakunta, which has long suffered from foul-smelling stagnant water. He announced plans to rejuvenate the area by installing walking tracks and planting trees, transforming it into a clean and accessible public space for recreation and community engagement. The MP stated that the board had decided to grant permissions to individuals who had purchased government flats, ensuring their occupancy rights were upheld and eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic disruptions. Looking ahead, Rajender outlined a vision to enhance the overall livability of the cantonment area. He revealed plans for a comprehensive facelift featuring well-designed public spaces, including parks, open-air gyms, and a modern underground drainage network. These amenities aim to create a healthy and sustainable urban environment for residents. The Cantonment Board meeting marked a decisive step toward improving essential services and quality of life in the region, with the MP reiterating the government's commitment to inclusive and strategic urban planning.
