Latest news with #HoD
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
NCC, Shapoorji & Pallonji, and L&T to build five towers in Amaravati at ₹3,673 crore
The 48th Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) meeting, held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the Secretariat on Monday, approved the selection of NCC Limited for the construction of the GAD Tower and Shapoorji & Pallonji and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for the construction of Head of Department (HoD) Towers 1 and 2, and 3 and 4 respectively at a total cost of ₹3,673 crore. Announcing it in a press conference on Monday, Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana said NCC emerged as the lowest bidder for the GAD Tower by quoting a sum of ₹882 crore, while Shapoorji & Pallonji and L&T were the lowest bidders for the HoD Towers 1 and 2, and 3 and 4 by offering to build them for ₹1,488 crore and ₹1,303 crore. The CRDA approved the issue of Letters of Agreement to them with the mandate to begin the works immediately. The construction of these five administrative towers had begun during 2014-19 but had come to a grinding halt after the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) came to power. The NDA government now focused on their construction and cleared all the legal hurdles that came in their way. These towers were so planned that the Ministers and all HoDs concerned would be seated in the same building for the convenience of the public approaching them. Amaravati airport Mr. Narayana said the CRDA also gave permission for the construction of an international airport on 5,000 acres in the capital with a vision for the next 50 to 100 years. An airport of such scale was mainly essential for investors to easily travel to Amaravati, the Minister said, while pointing out that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu's decision to build the international airport at Shamshabad had been heckled by his critics but time proved them wrong. Land for smart industries Further, Mr. Narayana said the CRDA cleared the proposed allotment of 2,500 acres for smart industries in Amaravati that would give a fillip to the value of lands pooled from the farmers. Besides, an international sports city was planned to be developed, and it was decided to extend the rules and regulations applied to the original master plan of 217 square kilometres of the capital region, to more lands which the government contemplated to take through the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS). So far, farmers came forward to give 24,000 acres more under the LPS. Additional funding As far as external funding of the Amaravati project was concerned, Mr. Narayana said the government was hopeful of raising ₹5,000 crore from various banks and lending institutions in addition to ₹15,000 crore already sanctioned by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and ₹11,000 crore approved by HUDCO. Asked whether the government was trying to rope in the Government of Singapore (GoS) for the development of Amaravati, he replied in the affirmative, while stating that the GoS officials who helped the A.P. government during 2014-19 in preparing the Amaravati master plan and related activities were sceptical due to bitter experience they had during the YSRCP regime.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Journalism dept at PAU sees surge in applications
After struggling to keep the classroom not empty, the department of journalism at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has seen a turnaround as the applications to MA journalism and mass communication course have gone up to more than twice the number of seats. The department's MA course has seven seats and starting in the late 2010s it started to see a fall in the number of students and the class strength fell to just one student last year. This year the department already has 15 applications. The turnaround for the department is part of the rise in the number of applications for courses across the Varsity. The rise in the number of applications have been attributed to the change in immigration rules to Canada after the friction between the two countries last year which resulted in strict restrictions on Indians trying to move there. The university has received over 6,500 applications across different courses, a significant increase compared to the figures from recent years. According to vice-chancellor, Satbir Singh Gosal, the low number of application in the last few years were due to 'overwhelming allure of foreign education, particularly in Canada.' HoD, deparmtent of journalism, Sheetal Thapar said, 'The department is fully committed to ensure quality media training by adapting to the changing media landscape and innovation.' She highlighted that the department is also planning to upgrade its media lab into an omni man lab with a TV studio to ensure that the students can be trained properly for the industry in line with the modern requirements. 'The department is also planning to incorporate social media management and the role of artificial intelligence in media into the training,' she added.
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Chennai dental college HoD suspended over sexual harassment complaints
Under the circumstances, the order said it is necessary to place the professor under suspension from service under sub-rule (e)(1)(i) of Rule 17 of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, with immediate effect and until further orders, pending the framing of charges. The HoD has also been instructed not to leave the headquarters in Chennai without obtaining prior permission from the concerned authority, the order further stated. Meanwhile, sources said the State Women's Rights Commission conducted a two-hour inquiry on Friday with the college principal regarding the functioning of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and related matters. On May 19, The New Indian Express was the first to report on the year-long delay in investigating the complaints. The Directorate of Medical Education and Research has since formed a three-member committee to investigate and submit a report within seven days.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Uttar Pradesh plans to make Dudhwa global eco-tourism hotspot
Uttar Pradesh eco-tourism development board conducted an extensive discussion with tour and travel operators on Thursday. The meeting, held at Tourism Bhawan, witnessed officers engaging in unlocking Dudhwa's full potential through collaborative promotion, infrastructure development, and personalised tourism experiences for international tourists. In the presence of tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh the officials highlighted the state government's multi-pronged strategy to increase footfall of international tourists in Dudhwa and surrounding areas. The minister for tourism and culture Jaiveer Singh said, 'All efforts are underway to enhance accommodation, set up yoga and wellness centres, promote rural tourism and local crafts and cuisine, especially for foreign tourists. We believe this natural treasure will play a defining role in making Uttar Pradesh a top destination for international tourists.' Describing Dudhwa as one of the last surviving stretches of the once-vast Himalayan Terai, the principal secretary tourism and culture Mukesh Meshram said, 'Dudhwa is not just a sanctuary for rare and endangered species, but a living repository of our disappearing forest ecosystems. Its dense forests, marshes, grasslands, and oxbow lakes represent rhythmic patterns of nature celebrated worldwide.' 'Uttar Pradesh currently leads in domestic tourism, and with strategic initiatives, we aim to achieve the same in international arrivals,' said Meshram. Tour and travel operators have a critical role in this journey, and the government is fully committed to supporting efforts at every level. During the interaction, over 100 tour and travel operators from Uttar Pradesh and other states were present in-person and virtually. Several suggestions were put forward, including integrating Dudhwa with spiritual circuits like Ayodhya and Kashi, organising familiarisation (FAM) tours, and initiating student exposure visits from cities like Jhansi, similar to those conducted in Lucknow. The board assured that these ideas will be actively considered and implemented wherever feasible. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoD) Sunil Chaudhary lauded the initiative, calling it a promising step toward expanding tourism in the state. Managing Director of Forest Corporation KK Singh stated that Dudhwa offers something for every type of tourist, and it is essential that tour operators design customised itineraries based on visitor interests. Other key speakers included Additional PCCF Lalit Kumar Verma, CCF (Policy & Analysis) Aditi Sharma, UPSTDC MD Sanya Chhabra, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Field Director Dr Rangaraju, and Tourism Director Prakhar Mishra, who delivered a detailed presentation on the board's vision and plans for Dudhwa's development. Home to over 120 tree species, more than 100 varieties of herbs and shrubs, and rare orchids, Dudhwa boasts remarkable biodiversity. The region supports a thriving population of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and aquatic life, making it a vital example of ecological richness and stability. Dudhwa is being developed as a national eco-tourism flagship for international tourists. Key initiatives include stakeholder consultations, promotion of local heritage and cuisine, expanded train safari outreach, integrated wellness and accommodation facilities, dedicated tourist helpdesks, and a comprehensive regional master plan. The board has also shared four proposed itineraries tailored for various traveller interests.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Norms for reapportionment of teaching staff in State-run schools announced in A.P.
The government on Tuesday (May 13) issued guidelines for reapportionment of teaching staff across various managements for the restructured schools, detailing the allocation of teachers at different school levels such as Foundational Schools, Basic Primary Schools, Model Primary Schools, Upper Primary Schools and High Schools. According to GO (MS. No. 21), including the 13,192 posts notified under the Mega DSC-2025 and reapportionment of teaching staff, it was observed that all the districts have working surplus posts of School Assistants (SAs) and Secondary Grade Teachers (SGTs) in certain managements. Also certain districts have vacant surplus posts, while some other districts have deficits of posts in some managements. Accordingly, the Director of School Education submitted a proposal on conversion and creations of posts, which the government has approved. The government has given permission to the School Education department to convert 4706 School Assistant (SA) posts as Model Primary School Headmasters/School Assistants, to position working surplus SAs/SGTs and equivalent posts at the cluster-level to utilise their services as Cluster-Level Academic Teacher. Permission has also been accorded to convert 615 posts i.e. SAs (517/SGTs (98) and equivalent posts to needy posts within the same management, to create 3228 posts viz., 397 Grade-II Head Masters, 2709 School Assistants and 122 Secondary Grade Teachers posts by suppressing vacant surplus posts (3980) within the management or inter-management and adjusting 1311 posts from HoD pool. The department can also upgrade 779 Upper Primary Schools to that of High Schools, add 1902 vacant surplus posts in the districts (i.e. 362 School Assistants, 1540 Secondary Grade Teachers) in the cadre strength of the Director of School Education for future utilisation/allocation of these posts in case of deficit posts in any district.
