Regional

Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS) Five persons, from Maharashtra and Karnataka, were killed when two cars collided head-on in Telangana’s Narayanpet district on Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred near Jaklair village in Makthal mandal.

Members of two families lost their lives in the crash. The victims hailed from Maharashtra and Karnataka.

According to police, two persons sitting in one car and three persons in another car were killed in the collision. Two women and a child were among the deceased.

Police shifted the bodies for autopsy. A police officer said they have registered a case and took up further investigation.

--IANS

ms/vd

According to sources, the high command has also considered the candidatures of former DyCM Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil, former national general secretary C.T. Ravi, former minister and staunch Hindutva leader V. Sunil Kumar.

Presently, BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel is holding the position of state president and his term has ended.

The discussion for a new chief has been going on since the Assembly elections in Karnataka in which the party suffered defeat five months ago. The opposition Congress is taking potshots at the saffron party for its inability to appoint the candidates for the posts of State President and the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislature.

The winter session would be held in December in the state and the party leaders are expecting that the high command will make a decision on this and save them from the criticism of Congress leaders. However, the party's top leadership is still focused on the elections of five states in the country.

Sources explained that the high command is treading cautiously as the strategy failed utterly in the Assembly elections and the infighting between former CM Yediyurappa and National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh was not allowing the party to take a decision in this regard. With both leaders wanting to bulldoze each other’s interests, it has become difficult for the high command as it did not want to lose ground in the state.

The top leadership snubbed Yediyurappa and gave prominence to Santhosh, sources said. A total of 72 new faces were given tickets to contest the Assembly elections and senior leaders Jagadish Shettar, Laxman Savadi, K.S. Eshwarappa and a slew of others were denied tickets. PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah made maximum trips to the state and held massive rallies and road shows across the state.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after registering a thumping victory ridiculed that wherever PM Modi and Amit Shah went the Congress candidates won with a huge margin and BJP candidates were defeated in the surrounding areas as well. Not able to digest the defeat, the BJP high command had kept the state leadership at bay.

The high command does not want to burn its hands again and is not considering the proposals either by Santhosh or Yediyurappa in toto, sources said.

Sources explain that Shobha Karandlaje, once considered a protégé of Yediyurappa, is now close to Santhosh as well in the changed circumstances. Her work as a minister under Yediyurappa was appreciated and she hails from the Vokkaliga community. Shobha Karandlaje is known for fierce Hindutva comments.

Vijayendra on the other hand has already made a mark in state politics. He is projected as the Lingayat community leader. Vijayendra’s organisational capabilities are appreciated and he had ensured the victory of BJP candidates in south Karnataka districts where the saffron party never won earlier.

--IANS

mka/dpb

This is to check delay in handing over new projects and buildings.

To avoid expenditure over security and maintenance of ready buildings, the departments concerned will have to take over the property within 45 days.

At least 63 big ticket building projects, each commissioned with a budget of at least Rs 10 crore, are in the final stages of completion.

The need to speed up the handover process was felt as the Public Works Department cited difficulties it was facing due to the unwarranted delay.

Chief secretary D.S. Mishra has circulated the new SOP (standard operating procedure) through which the timeline for the handover process along with roles of the contracted agency and that of the government department which has outsourced the project, has been fixed.

A four-member committee headed by chief development officer will be constituted in each district to facilitate the handover.

A senior PWD officer said that a letter will be sent to the concerned department 30 days in advance of the official handover date to make a thorough inspection. "List of inventories of items that have been supplied along with the building plan will be provided. In case any defect or shortcomings are detected, PWD will have to be informed in writing. In case no written objection is received, after 45 days it will be deemed that official handover has been done," said the officer.

Similarly, a timeline for phase-wise handover will be prepared between two agencies in case a project comprises multiple buildings or components.

A district-level committee, comprising chief development officer, executive engineers of PWD, irrigation and power departments will also facilitate the handover of buildings and provide their opinion on the work quality.

Among the 13 medical colleges that are being established across the state, 12 are expected to be handed over to the health department in December, while 13 out of 18 Atal residential schools are also ready.

--IANS

amita/shb

Gowda, who had openly expressed his displeasure regarding BJP's alliance with JD(S), is expected to meet the National President J.P. Nadda and other top leaders.

Recently, Gowda had stated that he was not consulted regarding the alliance with JD (S) party in Karnataka.

According to sources close to him, DyCM and State Congress president D.K. Shivakumar had approached him to join the party ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar had also spoken to him.

Sources explained that Gowda, once given prominence in the party failed to impress the high command with his performance.

After giving up his CM's post as per the party's instructions, Gowda was given the prestigious Railway ministry in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first cabinet.

Later, the ministry was taken back and he was made Union Minister for Law and Justice.

Afterwards, he was made Union Minister for Statistics and Program Implementation. He was made to step down from his post ahead of cabinet reshuffle in July 2021.

Gowda, who represents Bengaluru North Parliamentary seat, came to limelight after taking over as the chief minister after B.S. Yediyurappa was asked to step down following allegations of corruption.

Yediyurappa played a role in Gowda getting the coveted post. However, the sources explain that Gowda joined hands with former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda's family went against Yediyurappa resulting in his ouster.

Presently, Gowda is fearing that he might miss the ticket from Bengaluru North Parliamentary seat from the BJP as it is rumoured that the seat will be given to the JD (S) or independent MP from Mandya Parliamentary seat Sumalatha Ambareesh who will get the ticket from the saffron party.

The sources close to him explain that the disgruntled leader will take a call on joining the Congress after the talks with the party leadership.

--IANS

mka/shb

An official spokesperson said the park would accommodate 60-70 production units that would work to manufacture 452 medicines and 23 starting materials.

“This budget includes Rs 460.6 crore for infrastructure, Rs 20 crore for zero liquid discharge systems, Rs 144.2 crore for land acquisition and Rs 10 crore for administrative, consultancy and programme management expenses,” the spokesperson said.

He said the government has created a corpus of land that will provide 94 plots of various sizes ranging from five to 50 acres.

“Out of the pharma park’s total area, the government will provide plots for industry setups in 53 per cent, while the remaining portion will be allocated for other facilities.”

The list of facilities includes dry port spanning 50 acres, a common facility area for processes like CETP/ STP and other utilities covering 70 acres, logistics and warehousing over 100 acres, institutional, testing and research and development spaces within 60 acres, road and transport infrastructure extending over 270 acres, as well as greenery and water resources over 250 acres. The park will also allocate 60 acres for residential (housing group) and 40 acres for commercial activities.

“The initiative is expected to generate more than 1.5 lakh job opportunities. Additionally, supporting industries related to pharma will also come up in the bulk drug park, which will indirectly create 3 lakh jobs,” he said.

Officials said that 12 types of relaxations are being extended to pharma sector entrepreneurs to attract investment. They said that steps have also been taken to build a favourable ecosystem for the pharma park.

--IANS

amita/dpb

“Manoj Jha is a learned person. He has not given any such statement which is objectionable. Jha poem has not hurt any caste or community. He has not targeted anyone. He has pointed out the right things in public,” Lalu Prasad said while launching the book named “Sadak Se Sansad Tak” of his old friend and socialist leader Shivanand Tiwari in Patna.

“Shivanand Tiwari is a fearless person who is never scared of anyone. He was born in an upper caste family but he always became a voice of minority, and of deprived sections of society,” Lalu Prasad said.

He said that he and Bihar Chief Minister had separated in the past but now are united. “The communal forces are dictating terms in the country. They are trying to change the constitution of the country which is not a right thing,” Lalu Prasad said.

--IANS

ajk/dan

Visiting the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh to kick-start his party’s campaign,the former UP Chief Minister, on the second day of his visit, reached Chhatarpur district of Bundelkhand region, closely connected with Uttar Pradesh. He held a meeting with party workers and reviewed the poll preparations.

During a press conference in Chhatarpur, he targetted the BJP over the recently-passed Women Reservation Bill and challenged the BJP to give 33 per cent tickets to women in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

"If the BJP really wants to give reservation to the women, it should give 33 per cent tickets to in Madhya Pradesh and if not do so, then it will be clear that BJP has passed this Bill for its political agenda only and it be considered that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cheated the people this country," Akhilesh Yadav said.

Meanwhile, he also said that his party will contest the Assembly elections in MP with the concept "PDA - (Pichde (backward class), Dalits, and Alpsankhyak (minorities)”. He added that his PDA alliance will try to give 20 per cent tickets to the women in Madhya Pradesh.

Asked about the INDIA bloc, Akhilesh Yadav said alliance's aim is to defeat the BJP in Lok Sabha elections. Asked if the SP will support the Congress in the state, he said: "Congress was short of majority in 2018 and SP was first to support. But, SP will contest elections on its own."

Akhilesh Yadav also said that people of Madhya Pradesh have decided to change the government and this time, the SP will win more seats than previous elections in Madhya Pradesh. Later, Akhilesh along with other party leaders had 'pattal bhoj' at a Dalit's home in Chhatarpur.

On Wednesday, he addressed a poll rally in Sirmour Assembly constituency of Rewa district, bordering Uttar Pradesh, and hit out at the ruling BJP over crimes against Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC) people in Madhya Pradesh.

SP has fielded former BJP MLA Laxman Tiwari from Sirmour.

The SP has so far declared its six candidates in two lists and third list of candidates is likely to be released soon, according to a SP leader in Rewa.

--IANS

pd/vd

The arrested individual has been identified as Bharat Soni, a resident of Ujjain.

Earlier on Thursday, Ujjain SP Sachin Sharma said that a total of five suspects were detained for questioning.

One of them was detained on Wednesday, while four were detained on Thursday.

Sharma said that the victim hails from Satna district.

Meanwhile, the main accused who had been apprehended, tried to escape from police custody and collided with a cemented wall following which he was admitted to a government hospital, police Inspector Ajay Kumar said.

Interacting with the press, the police officer said when the accused was taken to the crime spot, he tried to escape.

"He (accused) ran away from the spot. However, the police personnel chased him. In the mean time, he collided with a cemented wall and got injured," Kumar said.

He further said one of the cops chasing the accused also got injuries but eventually, the accused was overpowered.

When asked if the accused sustained injury due to police firing, Kumar denied, saying: "He collided with a cemented wall."

"Victim's family has lodged a missing complaint on September 24. The girl has traveled from Satna to Ujjain," SP Sharma said.

The incident has sparked a political controversy in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

The opposition Congress has questioned the law and order situation under the BJP government in the state.

AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who is leading the Congress' campaign in the poll-bound state of MP, slammed the BJP government for the incident.

--IANS

pd/pgh

Besides Rao and his son, former BRS lawmaker Vemula Veeresham also joined the Congress.

Kharge, inducted the BRS leaders in presence of Telangana Congress unit chief A Revanth Reddy here at his residence, 10 Rajaji Marg.

The Congress has been campaigning aggressively come to power in the southern state, which has been ruled by the BRS (earlier TRS) since it came to existence in 2014.

--IANS

aks/vd

More than four months after commencing the work on its first project at Kakatiya Mega Textile Park (KMTP) in Warangal, it laid the foundation stone for the second cluster at Seetharampur in Rangareddy district near Hyderabad.

Kitex, which is the second-largest manufacturer of infant wear in the world, is setting up this cluster with a capacity of seven lakh garments per day.

The company thus intends to create a Guinness record. The plant will come up on 250 acres with an investment of Rs 1,200 crore. It will employ more than 11,000 people directly, more than 80 per cent of which will be women employees.

The entire investment will be operational by December 2024.

Minister for industries KT Rama Rao along with his ministerial colleagues P Sabitha Indra Reddy and P Mahender Reddy participated in the ground-breaking ceremony.

Kitex’s first investment project in Telangana is coming up at Kakatiya Mega Textile Park, Warangal where construction of a similar sized integrated fibre-to-apparel manufacturing cluster is ongoing in full swing and expected to commence operations by December 2023.

The company is investing Rs.1,600 crore in the Warangal plant. The cluster, spread over 200 acres, will employ more than 15,000 people directly, more than 80 per cent of which will be women employees. Kerala-based Kitex signed MoU with Telangana government in 2021 to invest Rs.2,406 crore in the state. --IANS

ms/rad