Rahul Gandhi's boys in Andhra Pradesh to measure up Jaganmohan Reddy

December 2, 2012
Rahul_G

Hyderabad, December 2: With the news of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's political prowess reaching Delhi, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi has now send two emissaries to figure out the mood in the state and particularly among the party MLAs. After a visit to districts, the duo are now studying the scene in Hyderabad in a none too discreet manner.

Sources suggest that the duo, Viswajit Rane and Jitendra Deshprabhu, are quizzing MLAs about their assessment of the political scene if the Congress enters into an alliance with YSR Congress. "They are asking four questions: What would the prospects of the Congress be if the elections are held simultaneously for the Assembly and Parliament; the reasons they think that made Jagan leave the party; what is the state of the Congress after Jagan left the party," said an MLA who met up with the AICC functionaries. The respondents were also asked whether they feel that Jagan will come back to the Congress and also the winning chances of the sitting MPs. Since it is a Congress survey the exercise is being coordinated by PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana.

It is understood that the answers from the respondents have not been uniform. Some of them said that Jagan would come back to the party if he is assured the chief ministership, while others were less sure. Some MLAs suggested that fielding new candidates would greatly benefit the party with sitting members facing strong anti-incumbency while others favoured separate elections for the Assembly and Lok Sabha. Some ministers are upset with the survey. "Is this the way to conduct a survey? These junior functionaries are asked to report about MPs who are much senior to them in the party. This is not correct," said a minister in the Kiran government.

A minister from Seemandhra region suggested creating Rayala-Telangana was a way out for the party to survive in the state, in case the division was inevitable. Some MLAs are said to have complained against the chief minister for his 'inability' to take along all the leaders. "There is a widespread discontentment over the Congress government among the people," was the comment made by a senior MLA. Other MLAs, however, thought that Kiran was doing a great job, especially during trying circumstances.

The ministers who met the team include S Sailajanath, D Manikya Varaprasad, T G Venkatesh, Md Ahmadullah, Erasu Pratap Reddy, Pitani Satyanarayana, Vatti Vasanth Kumar, Kasu Krishna Reddy and MLAs Gade Venkata Reddy, JC Diwakar Reddy and M Vijaya Prasad.


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News Network
March 5,2020

New Delhi, Mar 5: Retirement fund body EPFO on Thursday lowered interest rate on provident fund deposits to 8.5 per cent for the current financial year, said Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar on Thursday.

The EPFO had provided 8.65 per cent rate of interest on EPF for 2018-19 to its around six crore subscribers. The decision was taken at a meeting of the the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) apex decision making body -- the Central Board of Trustee.

"The EPFO has decided to provide 8.5 per cent interest rate on EPF deposits for 2019-20 in the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) meeting today," Gangwar told reporters after the meeting here.

Now, the labour ministry requires the finance ministry's concurrence on the matter. Since the Government of India is the guarantor, the finance ministry has to vet the proposal for EPF interest rate to avoid any liability on account of shortfall in the EPFO income for a fiscal.

The finance ministry has been nudging the labour ministry for aligning the EPF interest rate with other small saving schemes run by the government like the public provident fund and post office saving schemes.

The EPFO had provided 8.65 per cent rate of interest to its subscribers for 2016-17 and 8.55 per cent in 2017-18. The rate of interest was slightly higher at 8.8 per cent in 2015-16.

It had given 8.75 per cent rate of interest in 2013-14 as well as 2014-15, higher than 8.5 per cent for 2012-13.

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News Network
June 11,2020

New Delhi, Jun 11: Petrol and diesel prices on Thursday were hiked by 60 paise per litre each - the fifth straight daily increase in rates since oil PSUs ended an 82-day hiatus in rate revision.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 74 per litre from Rs 73.40 while diesel rates were increased to Rs 72.22 a litre from Rs 71.62, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.

This is the fifth daily increase in rates in a row since oil companies on Sunday restarted revising prices in line with costs, after ending an 82-day hiatus.

In five hikes, petrol price has gone up by Rs 2.74 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.83.

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Agencies
February 29,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 29: With Saudi Arabia indefinitely suspending visas for visit to Islam's holiest site for the Umrah pilgrimage in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, more than 10,000 people in the state who are awaiting their turn this year for the annual Hajj pilgrimage are a worried lot.

"This year more than 10,000 people in Kerala have been cleared by the Hajj committee," said C Muhammed Faizy, chairman, Kerala State Hajj Committee.

"There is no cause of worry. We hope that during the time of the pilgrimage, the travel restriction by Saudi Arabia will be lifted," he said.

Umrah is a pilgrimage to the holy site that can be undertaken at any time of the year, while the annual Hajj pilgrimage has specific months according to the lunar calendar.

"The move by the Saudi Arabian Government to impose travel restriction was due to the outbreak of coronavirus. It is a preventive step to contain it. In such large gatherings, if one person is affected, it will spread to others. So we fully understand the concerns of the Saudi Government," Muhammed Faizy added.

He said that the Hajj Committee only processes the requests of annual Hajj visit pilgrims and not Umrah.

"This year we expect the Hajj pilgrimage season to be from June to August after Ramzan. But it may vary according to the Ramzan date. We are yet to get any official correspondence from the Saudi Government regarding travel restrictions," he added.

The Saudi Arabian Government suspended visas for tourists from countries affected by the coronavirus, with many having to cancel their Umrah pilgrimage at the last minute.

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