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The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Male nursing officers in Telangana demand equal promotion opportunities
The Telangana Nurses Joint Action Committee (TNJAC) has urged the State government to remove barriers preventing male nursing officers from securing promotions, calling the existing rules discriminatory and in violation of constitutional provisions ensuring equality. In a statement issued on Sunday (August 10), the committee said that while male candidates were permitted to enrol in government nursing colleges nearly two decades ago, they continue to face career stagnation due to outdated government orders. The issue dates back to 2005, when the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy convinced the Indian Nursing Council to allow men into nursing courses, leading to the issuance of G.O. No. 82 on May 8, 2005. A year later, under G.O. No. 320, nursing schools were upgraded to colleges, paving the way for male admissions in all government nursing institutions. Since 2011, around 1,000 to 1,200 male nurses have been serving in government posts. The TNJAC pointed out that in 2024, no male candidates were included in the seniority list for lecturer promotions, forcing some to seek judicial intervention. The neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh has already acted on this directive. Through G.O. No. 47, issued on March 14, 2024, the State amended its Nursing Service Rules by replacing the phrase 'only women' with 'men and women', ensuring that male candidates could also benefit from promotions. The TNJAC has appealed to the Telangana government to follow suit to align with constitutional provisions.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- The Hindu
State govt. mulls ban on toddy shops within ORR limits
The Telangana Excise and Prohibition Department has proposed shutting down all toddy shops operating within the limits of the Outer Ring Road (ORR), in a bid to crack down on the sale of adulterated toddy. The government is actively considering the proposal and has sought a detailed report from the Excise Department, according to informed sources. The move comes after the Kukatpally adulterated toddy incident that claimed at least ten lives and left over 50 individuals hospitalised. The case has led to mounting concern over the increasing use of banned substances including alprazolam, chloral hydrate and other chemicals in toddy. Sharing the rationale behind the move, a source close to the development, said that the Kukatpally incident not only triggered public outrage but also drew parallels to a similar episode in 2004, which led then Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to shut down toddy shops in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. According to data compiled by the Excise Department, a total of 454 toddy shops operate within ORR limits, functioning under 390 cooperative societies. These include 53 shops in Hyderabad, 50 in Secunderabad, 79 in Malkajgiri of Rangareddy district, 52 in Medchal, 158 in Saroornagar and 62 in Shamshabad. If the ban is implemented, it would impact toddy sales across major urban zones including Hyderabad, Secunderabad and parts of Rangareddy, particularly under the excise divisions of Malkajgiri, Medchal, Shadnagar and Saroornagar. Additionally, the government is likely to cancel Tree For Trade (TFT) toddy concessions (licensing of toddy shops to individual tappers or Tappers' Cooperative Societies) in these areas as part of the broader crackdown. Authorities maintain that removing toddy outlets from the ORR region is the only effective way to prevent the distribution of adulterated toddy in urban areas. The State government is expected to make a final decision on the proposal in the coming weeks.
The Hindu
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
YSRCP, Congress leaders pay tributes to YSR on his birth anniversary in Visakhapatnam
The 76th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was observed by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) at various locations across the city on Tuesday. YSRCP leaders paid rich tributes to YSR, as he was fondly known, by garlanding his statue on Beach Road at a programme organised under the aegis of YSRCP East Constituency coordinator Molli Appa Rao. The party's district president K.K. Raju, Rajya Sabha member Golla Babu Rao, MLCs Varudu Kalyani and Kumbha Ravibabu, Gajuwaka constituency coordinator Tippala Devan Reddy, and former MLAs Tippala Nagi Reddy and Chintalapudi Venkataramaiah were among the prominent leaders who participated in the programme and offered floral tributes. Addressing the gathering, the YSRCP leaders recalled YSR's immense contribution to various sections of society during his tenure as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. They lauded his visionary welfare initiatives and reforms in key sectors like education, healthcare, and agriculture. The leaders noted that his son, former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had carried forward YSR's legacy by continuing several of the welfare schemes introduced by him. A blood donation camp was also organised at the YSRCP district party office in Maddilapalem. District president K.K. Raju, along with youth wing representatives and other party leaders, participated and donated blood as a tribute to the late leader's service-oriented legacy. Earlier in the day, the party's district youth wing president Urukuti Chandu, zonal president Ambati Sailesh, State general secretary Doddi Kiran, and State youth wing representative Mohammad Imran paid floral tributes to YSR's statue. Meanwhile, Congress leaders too commemorated Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's birth anniversary by garlanding his statue at Beach Road, in an event organised by 21st Ward Congress leader Eegala Mohan Sai. Speaking on the occasion, Congress East Constituency in-charge Priyanka Dandi said that YSR had always dreamed of seeing Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister. She remarked that people were gradually turning back to the Congress after experiencing the governance of the TDP and the YSRCP. She highlighted YSR's tenure as Chief Minister, during which key initiatives like the sanctioning of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) to Visakhapatnam and the development of the BRTS road network took place under Congress rule. She described YSR as the architect of landmark welfare schemes such as Aarogyasri, old-age pensions, fee reimbursement, and Indiramma housing. Congress leaders Kandava Gayatri and former DCC vice president Chinnababu were among those who participated in the event.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Political Line newsletter: Transparency saves lives
Lessons in putting out accurate information, from an HIV campaign dating back to the days before our now post-truth world The crash of Air India 171 that killed hundreds — the exact number is yet to be announced — is turning out to be another case of extreme information management rather than information sharing. While there is scarcity of authentic information, people — many with no technical expertise — have theories that are proliferating wildly through social media. As it turns out, it's not just the armed forces that are above questioning. It seems even private companies are entitled to the protection of silence. Any crash is a subject of investigation, which must, in fairness, cover all aspects, including safety practices, the airline's management, and pilot error. We hope that Air India is as transparent as it promises to be. Free, open, and critical exchange of facts, and opinion based on accurate information in the public domain are the essential ingredients of a vibrant and successful society. More importantly, these are essential for good governance, in both public and private sectors. Boeing, the maker of the aircraft that crashed, sought to punish whistleblowers who flagged serious security concerns regarding its 787 series, according to American media reporting. Free, fair, timely, and accurate information is endangered by two distinct threats: the reluctance of its custodians to share it; and the spread of misinformation by people motivated by reasons other than the truth. We are left with a barrage of propaganda and misinformation. A free society in which institutions, companies, and people in authority, in both the private and public sectors are held accountable and are obligated to face questions from the people, will be better equipped to prevent and manage all disasters. Let me share with you one example of how openness and transparency in place of secrecy turned around a governance challenge in the undivided State of Andhra Pradesh (AP). AP was a hotspot of HIV infections, and the stigma associated with it drove more and more patients into leading a secret life, with people vulnerable to the virus avoiding testing. Nine out of 10 with the infection did not know they had it, and continued to be carriers of the virus. Asok Kumar, an IAS officer in charge of the AIDS control mission, developed a campaign in 2006 titled Be Bold, which encouraged those carrying the human immunodeficiency virus to come out and socialise publicly. The knowledge that they were not alone gave people the courage to speak about the illness, and many found life partners through the information-exchange events. The experiment took a dramatic turn when the then Chief Minister of the State, Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, decided to undergo an HIV test in public view in 2006. He also asked his Cabinet members to join in, and 70 MLAs also got tested. The secrecy of HIV testing was removed significantly, and the number of tests grew rapidly. As part of the campaign that ran for 13 months, 18 lakh tests were done, compared to around 5 lakh the previous year. More than 1 lakh tested positive; as testing increased and more people took preventive measures and medicines, prevalence declined. In 2021-22, a total of 23,57,260 people were tested for HIV (AP was bifurcated by then), and 13,815 were diagnosed with the infection, a significant reduction in prevalence. All situations of governance deficiency and crises can be mitigated by the sharing of accurate, reliable information in a timely manner, leading to public discussions — even public outcry — based on it. A better-informed public can lead to better social and corporate outcomes. A public armed with knowledge can even prevent air crashes. Federalism Tract -Notes on Indian diversity Police state The US Federal government led by President Donald Trump took control of the California National Guard, which is usually under the command of the State Governor, to quell street riots in protests against immigration law enforcement. Additionally, the Marines were deployed in Los Angeles. California State has won the first legal challenge, in which the judge held that the Federal government overstepped its power in taking over the command of the National Guard. This case, which is certain to reach the Supreme Court, will be a milestone in US federalism. Mother of confusion Tamil writer Perumal Murugan corrects Kamal Hassan who misspoke on Tamil being the mother of Kannada and then doubled down on his argument. Forget identifying the mother of any language, identifying the mother of a human being is also not as easy as it used to be. Whether someone is the father or mother of a child, in a biological sense, might sound a rather easy determination to be made. But a transgender couple in Kerala had a biological child: the person who gave birth to the baby now identifies as a male, and the person who impregnated them now identifies as a woman. But the local municipality insisted on identifying 'mother' and 'father,' with 'transgender' written in brackets, in the birth certificate of the child. The couple moved the Kerala High Court with the plea they be called 'parent', instead of 'mother' or 'father.' The Kerala HC has allowed the plea and ordered the municipality to issue a certificate with their names mentioned as 'parent'.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Andhra Pradesh govt. renames YSR district as ‘YSR Kadapa'
The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday officially renamed YSR District as YSR Kadapa District, restoring the historical reference of Kadapa to the district's name. The G.O. Ms. No. 170 order was issued in this regard by G. Jayalakshmi, Special Chief Secretary, Revenue Department. The decision came just a day before the TDP Mahanadu event, scheduled to be held in Kadapa from May 27 to 29. Originally known as Kadapa district, it was renamed in 2010 as YSR District in memory of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy after his demise in 2009. The district is the home turf of both YSR and his son, YSRCP president and former Chief Ministrer Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The word Kadapa means threshold in Telugu language. The town served as a gateway for pilgrims visiting Tirupati. The spelling 'Cuddapah' was officially changed to Kadapa in 2005.
