National
Why Naidu-Revanth meet will be keenly watched in Telugu states
Hyderabad, July 4 (IANS) The first-ever meeting between A. Revanth Reddy and N. Chandrababu Naidu as chief ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on July 6 has generated excitement in both the Telugu-speaking states, raising hopes of a solution to post-bifurcation issues.
With CM Revanth Reddy accepting the meeting proposal of his counterpart and inviting CM Naidu for a tete-a-tete in Hyderabad, the decks are cleared for the first meeting between the two leaders.
It was CM Naidu who took the initiative with a letter to his Telangana counterpart proposing a meeting to discuss matters of mutual interest between the two states.
CM Naidu, who was sworn in as the chief minister for a fourth time on June 12, wrote that he looks forward to working closely with him to resolve post-bifurcation issues, enhance cooperation, and facilitate progress in both the Telugu-speaking states.
“As Chief Ministers of Telugu-speaking states, it is incumbent upon us to foster close collaboration to ensure sustained progress and prosperity for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Our shared commitment to cooperative development is crucial to realise our mutual goals of growth and well-being,” wrote Naidu, who served as chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh for two terms between 1995 to 2004.
The TDP chief, who became the first chief minister of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh in 2014, noted that it has been 10 years since the bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.
“There have been multiple discussions concerning issues arising from the Reorganisation Act, which holds significant implications for the welfare and advancement of our states. It is imperative that we address these issues amicably with utmost diligence and resolve. In light of this, I propose that we meet at your place on 6th July, Saturday afternoon,” reads the letter.
Revanth Reddy, in his reply, agreed that it was imperative to resolve all pending issues of the Bifurcation Act. “An in-person meeting is necessary to help us build a strong foundation for mutual cooperation, exchange of ideas and enable us to better serve our respective people,” he said.
The past association of the two leaders makes this meeting different from the attempts made during the last 10 years to resolve the issues under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Revanth Reddy had worked in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) as MLA under Chandrababu Naidu in united Andhra Pradesh and also later in Telangana.
Though Revanth charted his own course by joining the Congress party in 2017, the past equation between the two leaders has generated excitement around their upcoming meeting.
Days after taking over as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh following TDP-led NDA’s landslide victory, Naidu sought a meeting with Revanth Reddy to discuss the issues of mutual interest. CM Revanth Reddy’s prompt response and his invite to CM Naidu for the face-to-face meeting in Hyderabad have raised hopes.
When Naidu served as the first Chief Minister of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh between 2014 and 2019, K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) was his counterpart in Telangana. Though the two leaders were also colleagues in TDP in the past and had an electoral understanding in the 2009 elections, they were not on good terms as KCR and his party TRS (now BRS) always perceived TDP as an anti-Telangana party.
The cash-for-vote scam of 2015 had created further distrust as KCR had accused Naidu of plotting to topple his government. Revanth Reddy, who was then considered close to Naidu, was caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while allegedly trying to buy the vote of nominated MLA Stephenson in favour of the TDP candidate Vem Narender Reddy in the MLC elections.
Revanth Reddy, the then TDP MLA, was even sent to jail in the bribery case. The episode and subsequent development forced CM Naidu to shift base to Vijayawada and start developing Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh capital though Hyderabad was declared as common capital for 10 years under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
Though KCR attended the foundation stone laying ceremony of Amaravati and met CM Naidu on a couple of occasions, they could not make headway in resolving inter-state issues, including the division of assets.
The relations strained further when TDP fought the 2018 Assembly elections in Telangana in alliance with the Congress and other parties. However, KCR-led TRS retained power with a thumping majority.
A few months later when Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party wrested power from TDP in Andhra Pradesh, TRS hailed the change then. There was bonhomie when Jagan Mohan Reddy as the Chief Minister-designate came to Hyderabad for the first meeting with KCR and invited him for the swearing-in ceremony.
The friendliness between Jagan and KCR came as a whiff of fresh air as the two neighbours agreed to work together to amicably resolve the inter-state disputes.
The two leaders had a few meetings, including the one when Jagan attended the inauguration of the Kaleshwaram Project. However, this bonhomie did not last long.
Political analysts say the common enemy (Naidu) more than anything else had brought Jagan and KCR together. This was despite the fact that Jagan had opposed bifurcation and even staged a sit-in in Delhi.
The two states remained embroiled in a row over the sharing of Godavari and Krishna waters. Both aggressively pursued irrigation projects on the two rivers and accused each other of violating past agreements and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
A tense situation was created between police forces of the two states on November 30, last year at Nagarjuna Sagar Dam across the Krishna River after Andhra Pradesh officials forcibly released water for their state. The Centre had intervened to deploy the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and handed over control of the dam to the Krishna River Water Management Board (KRMB).
Many issues remained unresolved under the A.P. State Reorganisation Act 2014. Several meetings of the two states called by the Centre failed to resolve them.
These include the division of assets belonging to 23 corporations mentioned in the 9th schedule of the Reorganisation Act. Road Transport Corporation and State Finance Corporation are among the key bodies.
The two states also differ on the division of assets of 30 institutions mentioned in the 10th schedule of the Act. These include Raj Bhavan, High Court and Lok Ayukta.
Andhra Pradesh has been demanding its share in land parcels, buildings and bank reserves of common institutions located in Hyderabad in the ratio of 52:48 between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in proportion to their population.
Andhra Pradesh also demanded a share in Singareni Collieries Company Limited, a public sector undertaking but Telangana has rejected the demand.
There are also disputes relating to commercial tax arrears, power arrears and the Labour Welfare Fund.
Andhra Pradesh says Telangana is yet to clear the power dues to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore.
On June 2, which marked the 10th formation day of Telangana state, Hyderabad ceased to be the joint capital of both states.
A few days before this, CM Revanth Reddy had asked officials to take over buildings allotted to Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad for 10 years.
He had asked the officials concerned to prepare a report on all the pending issues related to the division of assets and payment of the debts between the two states after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
–IANS
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Patna, July 31 (IANS) A joint team of Special Task Force (STF) from West Bengal and Bihar along with local police conducted a raid and busted a mini-gun factory in Rahimpur village in Bihar’s Saran, officials said on Tuesday.
Superintendent of Police (SP), Saran, Kumar Aashish said that the team has arrested five individuals. Of them, four are natives of Bihar’s Munger.
During the raid, authorities seized a substantial cache of partially built guns, barrels, and equipment used in the manufacture of country-made pistols and “kattas” (country-made firearms).
“We have confiscated 75 partially built firearms, 15 barrels, 36 partially built barrels, 6 cutters, 14 drill machines, 2 building machines, 1 generator, 1 mobile phone, 1 lathe machine, 1 milling machine, 10 tons of iron bars, and other equipment,” the SP said.
The mini-gun factory was illegally operating in a house owned by one Akhilesh Singh. Police have arrested Singh and four others, identified as Mohammad Chand, Mohammad Parvez, Irfan, and Mohammad Parwala — all four are natives of Munger and are believed to be workers at the factory.
The team also recovered a large amount of raw materials at the factory during the raid.
–IANS
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New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) An Indian-origin woman, who has been allegedly deserted by her Pakistani husband, has sought help from the governments of both countries to get her children back.
Farzana Begum, a resident of Mumbai, said that she married Yusuf Mirza Ilahi, in Abu Dhabi in 2015, and after two to three years, he deceitfully brought her to Pakistan. However, later, he returned to Abu Dhabi with their two children.
Farzana also claimed that Yusuf had married multiple times in the past and had hidden this fact from her. She further claimed that Yusuf had deserted his previous wives and children in a similar manner.
She has now filed a plea in a Lahore court seeking justice. The plea is scheduled to be heard on August 15.
Farzana has pleaded for help from Pakistan and the Indian government to get her children back. She has urged the Indian Embassy to speak to Abu Dhabi authorities on this issue.
The victim’s Pakistani lawyer said that Farzana is the wife of a Pakistani citizen and the mother of two Pakistani children. Therefore, Farzana has the same rights in the country as any Pakistani citizen. It is the duty of the Pakistani government to help Farzana in this matter, the lawyer said.
–IANS
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New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reached New Delhi late on Tuesday evening for a three-day state visit which is expected to further strengthen the age-old ties between the two countries.
“Warm welcome to PM Phạm Minh Chinh of Vietnam as he arrives in New Delhi on a State Visit. India and Vietnam share civilisational links and a longstanding friendship based on mutual trust. The visit will further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
The Vietnamese PM is scheduled to participate in various programmes and business events on Wednesday. He will receive a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.
On the same day, Pham Minh Chinh will visit the Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and then hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will also host a luncheon in honour of the visiting delegation.
Chinh is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during the course of his visit.
“India considers Vietnam as a key pillar of its Act East Policy and an important partner in its Indo-Pacific vision,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.
India-Vietnam relations have been on the upswing since the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Hanoi in 2016.
PM Modi has maintained Vietnam’s importance as an important pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and the Indo-Pacific vision, while seeking to enhance the scope of the bilateral relationship – including defence partnership – besides working for expeditious progress on the existing initiatives.
–IANS
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Jammu, July 30 (IANS) A terrorist associate was apprehended in a joint operation by the army and police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday, police said.
The individual, identified as Mohd Khalil Lone, of Bandipora district in the Kashmir Valley, was apprehended after a meticulously planned and executed operation.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that Lone is associated with the proscribed terror organisation Hizbul Mujahideen as a logistic provider and Overground Worker,” police said.
“He was deputed to receive a consignment of arms and ammunition. Further investigation is going on.”
–IANS
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Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) In a major policy initiative, the Maharashtra Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday approved to carry out renovation, modernisation, degradation, and life extension (RMU&LE) of the old hydroelectricity plants on lease, renovate, operate and transfer (LROT) basis.
The move will initially cover hydroelectric power projects of over 167 MW which are mainly irrigation projects where power generation is incidental. The government will initiate the RMU&LE process later for projects of 2411,5 MW which are used mainly for power generation.
For the implementation of this policy, two categories of hydroelectric power projects have been made based on water consumption. Category one will include projects whose main objective is power generation. Renovation and modernisation of such projects will be done by the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MahaGenco).
Category two will include irrigation and power generation projects. The renovation and modernisation of these projects will be done through competitive bidding.
The Chief Minister’s Office said that the government will not make any capital investment, but it will annually earn a revenue of Rs 507 crore through threshold premium, upfront premium, 13 per cent free electricity, lease, and intake maintenance charges.
Out of the 25 projects owned and constructed by the Water Resources Department (WRD), nine are independent hydropower projects (IPP) of 2411.5 MW capacity. In these, water is used only for power generation and the projects are important for stability and management of the grid.
“Considering the strategic importance of these projects, MahaGenco will carry out RMU&LE works of these IPPs after the expiry of their 35 years of normative life,” read the Cabinet note.
In the remaining hydroelectric projects of 167.45 MW and six others with 9.575 MW capacity, where power generation is incidental to irrigation and/or water supply, releases will be carried out on LROT basis.
Some of the major projects which can be leased out to private players include Yeldari (22.5 MW), Bhatghar (16MW), Paithan (12 MW), Pawna (10 MW), Khadakwasla (8MW+8MW), Ujani (12 MW), and Bhatsa (15 MW), among others.
The project shall be allotted through a bidding process where MahaGenco is also allowed to participate. The term of the lease will be 25 years from the commercial operation date.
According to the objectives of the policy, it will give about 25 years beyond the project’s normative life; improve the performance of the over-lived hydroelectric projects in terms of efficiency, output, availability, and reliability; converting existing base load stations to peaking stations for the benefit of the electricity grid; reducing maintenance requirements and ensuring ease of operation and safety; and protection of consumer interests by timely completion of RMU&LE works without cost overrun and minimum loss of generation.
The projects to undergo RMU&LE will be identified based on their performance records. A residual life assessment (RLA) study will be carried out to assess the health and residual life of every component of the hydro generating unit. A detailed project report (DPR) will be filed to avoid further complications, especially related to the cost.
–IANS
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