The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has named Professor MS Swaminathan, renowned agricultural scientist and Father of India’s Green Revolution as ICRISAT Ambassador of Goodwill.The recognition was conferred by ICRISAT Director General Dr William D Dar in a momentous ceremony held today at the ICRISAT global headquarters in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Later, the renowned scientist met CM KCR and discussed on the State Government’s plans to make Telangana a seed bowl. They also discussed plans to link  agriculture directly with NREGA for beneficial results. Earlier in the day, as ICRISAT Ambassador, Prof. Swaminathan agreed to champion the Institute’s mission to make a difference by promoting science-based agricultural solutions in the fight against poverty, hunger, malnutrition and ...

The Pratyush Sinha Committee, constituted by the Centre, met in New Delhi and held discussions with Telangana chief secretary Dr Rajiv Sharma and his AP counterpart I.Y.R. Krishna Rao over the distribution of All India Service (AIS) officers for the 2 states. The guidelines are finalized for allotment and are forwarded to PMO for clearance. Officers would be allotted in 13:10 ration between AP & Telangana. Telangana has only 44 IAS officers allotted now on provisional basis and so is grappling with huge work load and administration has been affected. Going by this ratio, it would get an additional 34 IAS officers providing relief. But this may happen only towards August end when the whole process is complete. Officers originating from ...

Volatile situation was created near Aghapura Hanuman Mandir in Sitarampet area of Mangalhat in Hyderabad yesterday when Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh and his supporters constructed a wall illegally around a temple, in GHMC area without any permissions. Reportedly,the construction of wall started at 3 AM in the dark before the GHMC authorities and police came in put a stop to it. Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh then reached the spot and got into an argument with police and GHMC officials and forcibly restarted the construction with dozens of his associates. Mangalhat police registered a case against Raja Singh and 20 of his associates under sections 447, 427 and 188 r/w 149 of the IPC and convinced the locals to voluntarily remove the wall. Rapid ...

In protest against the upcoming Polavaram Multipurpose Project in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Odisha ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has called for a 12-hour bandh in the undivided Koraput district on Monday. Rayagada district BJD leader N Bhaskar Rao said the party is staging demonstrations in front of all Central Government offices in Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Malkangiri district headquarters. It may be recalled that the BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, in Lok Sabha on Friday, had said the proposed irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh would submerge many parts of Malkangiri district and demanded a change in the design of the proposed dam. “Our party is not against the project per se but is against the ‘arbitrariness’ with which the height ...

Telangana celebrated the festival Bonalu today with loads of zeal and euphoria. The festival is dedicated to Hindu goddess Mahakali and is marked to ward off evil and usher in peace and harmony. While the women cook rice with milk and jaggery in new brass or earthen pots and then carry them on their heads to offer it to Hindu goddess, the artists dress up as various goddesses and mythological characters in the processions and also perform various acts to mark the celebration of the festival. CM visited the Mahankali Temple along with his wife and offered special poojas. The Bonalu festival is being celebrated at the Temple on a grand scale. KCR said that he had prayed to the Goddess for ...