The state Government which had a bitter experience with Jr. doctors strike during the last four weeks, has issued a G.O. brining them under ESMA thus banning them going on strikes for next 6 months. During the recent meeting it had with Jr.Docs. it has assured them of justifying their demands. Jr.Docs. also declared that they are temporarily calling-off their strike and made it clear that in case the Government fails to keep its promise, they will revive their strike anytime. So, as a preventive measure Government has issued a GO prohibiting them from doing strikes. Obviously, we can expect a sharp reaction from the Jr.Docs. in a couple of days.
2011/9/17 7:39:39 The State Government on Saturday involved Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for six months imposing a ban on strikes in the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. The move was aimed to prevent the RTC employees from joining the on-going general strike from September 19.
According to Transport Department principal secretary Laxmi Parthasarathy, the government invoked ESMA to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to the commuters. He said that the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy took this decision after conducting a review meeting with the officials of concerned department and Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana.
As per the ESMA, the unions or employees should not participate in any strikes or dharnas, for six months. The government will take stringent action on those employees who participate in strikes as per the act. (INN)
2011/7/20 9:10:37 Will the ESMA imposition aggravate the already volatile situation in the state and result in escalation of problem?
Though this would not be the first time that the ESMA would be invoked, the Act is not intended to contain the agitational mood of the strikers but make available certain essential services to the commoners who had nothing to do with either with the striking leaders or the power corridors.
The Government invoking Essential Services Maintenance Act may not necessarily result in stopping the strike if the demands are genuine and the employees are feeling the lack of response from the administration.
Many a times in the past, the invoking of ESMA had failed.
A cross section of the society feels that the invoking of the Act is not a solution.
On the other hand, it may aggravate the situation and further provoke the striking leaders fighting for a separate Telangana state.
There is another side to the story too. Employees coming under the purview of the Essential Service Act should notify before 40 days of the strike and can start the strike only after the order is passed. Otherwise, penalty for illegal strike will be applicable.
So the government could follow this in case of any sudden strike.
Instead of invoking ESMA, the best option open would be to find an alternative method through negotiations.
Under the TDP rule, the N Chandrababu Naidu government was prepared to negotiate with extremists/Naxals at the negotiating table but the talks failed.
But an attempt was made to bring the warring groups for an interaction.
Invoking ESMA against its own employees who are law abiding and the circumstances that pushed them to resort to strike may not be justifiable particularly when the government turns a blind eye to their burning problem, work conditions for a long period and forced them to go on a strike as a last resort.(INN)
Govt takes U turn on ESMA, Anam denies floating idea
2011/7/21 9:54:16 Apparently finding the idea of invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act too hot to handle, the state government, which had floated the thought on Wednesday, took a U-turn and on Thursday flatly denied of toying with an idea to invoke it.
Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy denied that any discussion on the ESMA had taken place on Wednesday at a high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
On the other hand, the Minister blamed the media for highlighting the chances for invoking ESMA to contain the non-cooperation agitation called by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee from August 1.
Asked about it, Mr Ramnarayan Reddy clarified that a Cabinet Sub-Committee has been appointed to look into the issues raised by the TPJAC. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is understood to have asked the Sub-Committee to speak to the TPJAC leaders and strike a deal.
Clarifying on ESMA, Mr Ramnarayan Reddy said that he had no knowledge of this and it did not come under the purview of the Sub-Committee.
He added that even the TPJAC notice too did not fall under the purview of the Ministers’ Sub-Committee.
“The Chief Minister will take a decision on the staff problems,” said the Minister. He also confirmed that Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy will take the initiative to get the controversial Clause 14 f deleted by the Centre.(INN)
2007/12/19 5:44:39 The striking junior doctors have not yet relented even after the government came up with an ordinance. The ordinance classifies them as government servants and makes any attack on them a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
But the junior doctors want the government to arrest the two Majlis party MLAs first. The government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). The act bars the government and junior doctors from going on a strike for a period of six months. But the junior doctors want the government to invoke the Goonda act first and arrest the two Majils party leaders
Govt looks at ESMA to ensure administration: T Strike
2011/7/20 8:57:09 Will the state government enforce the strong handle ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) in the city so that all the services will be functional as usual and without any interruptions, in view of the employees threat of going on a strike?
The ESMA is a rare instrument that the state government has at its disposal to overlook/control the agitators.
On all accounts, in view of the strike threat issued by the Telangana Joint Action Committee leaders from August 1, the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government is likely to use ESMA handle to control the striking employees and ensure that there were no interruptions to the essential services.
According to highly placed government sources, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is left with no option except imposing the ESMA for offering the essential services to the citizens.
In the light of the strike threat, heads of the various Departments are busy preparing contingency plans to make alternative arrangements of taking staff for running all the services, particularly the essential services like medical, sanitation, drinking water and power supply without any break.
At a review meeting attended by Heads of the Departments and chaired by the Chief Minister, a decision was taken by the latter to offer Municipal, sanitation, communications, health, power supply, transport services to the people effectively particularly after August 1, as the protagonists of Telangana seek to launch their ‘civil disobedience’ campaign.
The Heads of the Departments were instructed to similarly to ensure coal production at Singareni Collieries in Khammam district, power generation at all the hydro-electric projects and run the transport services without disturbances by the Chief Minister.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy also left clear directions to the officers for running all educational institutions, offices specifically pension, fee, scholarship payments, stocking and supply of drugs, remittances at stamps and registration offices as stipulated.
These instructions given by the Chief Minister will be applicable to all other officers manning Excise, Income Tax, Mines and Forest Departments so that payments and receipts go on without break.
Proper security arrangements will be made to those attending to their duties.
Wherever necessary, services of the retired employees will be requisitioned to run the show and without compromising on quality.
Chief Secretary S V Prasad, Chief Minister’s Special Secretary J Satyanarayana, Special Chief Secretary (Health) G Sudhir, GHMC Commissioner M T Krishna Babu, APSRTC Managing Director B Prasad Rao, AP GENCO MD Ajay Jain, AP Transco MD Vijayanand, Metro Water Works MD Jagadishwar and other Heads of Departments participated in the meeting.(INN)
2011/7/23 10:46:19 The Bharatiya Janata Party urged Governor ESL Narasimhan to prevail upon the state government to hold talks with the Employees’ Unions who have served the strike notice from August 1.
A delegation of the state BJP led by senior leaders Bandaru Dattatreya and Dr Lakshman met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan on Saturday and submitted a memorandum to him.
Expressing their anguish at the threat of using ESMA against the striking employees of Telangana region, the BJP leaders said that instead of trying to browbeat the employees into submission, the government should invite them for talks to sort out the problems.
“Invoking ESMA would be counterproductive in this situation,” the delegation said.
The delegation also requested the Governor to send a report to the Centre on the present situation in the state. (INN)
2011/8/7 9:08:22 Employees in Telangana will undertake demonstrations during lunch hour in their offices each day, besides adopting a ‘work to rule’ policy from Monday, as a buildup to the general strike called from August 17 across the region.
The lunch hour demonstrations come even as the state government has made known its decision to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against its employees who intend to join the propose general strike from August 17. In addition, the region will see the deployment of security forces in and around government offices, universities, hospitals and other institutions.
Besides invoking ESMA, the government has decided to impose 'no work no pay' rule.
The Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) and other unions have already warned the state government of serious consequences if it indeed uses the ESMA against the employees. The employees’ leaders have already stated that they would not buckle down at their meeting with the Group of Ministers on August 5.
The almost identical statement which emerged from the disparate groups fighting for Telangana was, “no measure could curb the sentiments of four crore people of the region.”
Apart from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Communist Party of India, Bharatiya Janata Party, Students' JAC and other groups, the leaders of Congress and Telugu Desam Party from Telangana region have already declared their full support to the strike.
Taking note of the fact that the strike may paralyse the administration, the government has announced that it has invoked ESMA in the Departments of Health, Municipal Administration, State Road Transport Corporation, Electricity, Civil Supplies, Rural Water Supply and Panchayat Raj.
Under ESMA, a person found obstructing or disturbing the delivery of services by participating in the strike could face imprisonment for six months.
Meanwhile the government is making all efforts to avoid a February-March like situation when the earlier 16-day noncooperation agitation, in which nearly 3,00,000 employees took part, had severely hit the administration.
On the other hand, the employees’ unions are making all out efforts to garner the support of the employees themselves and of the public in general that the strike is an important tool to make the government bend and fulfill the demand of a separate Telangana state.(INN)
Why should ESMA not be invoked against Ministers: TDP leader
2011/7/21 9:49:23 Senior Telugu Desam Party leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Thursday put words to the thoughts in most people’s minds by asking why the state government can only take action against its employees and not against Ministers under the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act 1981.
Talking to media persons at Assembly Media Point, Mr Srinivas Yadav questioned why the employees were discriminated against and ESMA invoked against them when Ministers play truant and abstain from their duties.
“The Ministers are also public servants. The government should also initiate action against them and invoke ESMA,” Mr Srinivas Yadav demanded.
Referring to the speculation that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act in the event of Telangana employees going on a strike from August 1, the senior TDP leader opined that if this happens, the Chief Minister will lose the moral right to continue in his post. “As it is, after the resignation of Ministers and Congress elected representatives from the Telangana region, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy has lost any moral right to continue in office,” he said.
The TDP leader demanded that the Chief Minister convene a special session of the Assembly and prove his majority in the House .
When asked if it (special session to the Assembly) was his personal opinion or the TDP’s stand, Mr Srinivas Yadav avoided an answer and left.(INN)
Fee reimbursements too should be brought under ESMA: Danam
2011/8/6 9:52:18 The people of Telangana will be in a fix again with the Telangana Employees JAC leaders remaining adamant and government also neglecting them, relying on the ESMA handle.
Labour Minister Danam Nagender categorically stated before media persons at the Secretariat on Saturday that apart from the essential commodities like rice, wheat, salt etc, fee reimbursement also is an essential service in the absence of which poor students suffer.
He came in defence of Departments being brought under ESMA as it was taken as a precautionary measure to help people sustain their livelihood. The students’ unions also protested over the Finance Department coming under the purview of ESMA.
An argument put forth by the leaders of all hues pushed the government particularly the Minister to the wall.
It was pointed out that the state government imported Australian wheat in 2007 when shortage was experienced in the state.
Similarly in 2007, onion import was affected to tide over the crisis due to scarcity of the said commodity.
On the same lines it was contested that the post-metric scholarships and fee reimbursement was equally important as far as poor students were concerned, Mr Nagender opined.
The Minister’s concern is praise-worthy.
If the students move the court over non-payment of fee and scholarship where does the government stand?.
It was clarified that the Finance Department was brought under ESMA mainly to escape the ‘handicap’ of non-payment of salaries more so to higher ups like Chief Minister and so on.
In this connection, it was pointed that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj of the Bharatiya Janata Party commented on non-payment of pay to the Chief Minister when the TJAC of employees struck work for 22 days in February / March this year. It was ironical.
But according to reliable sources, it was made known that the TJAC of Employees, Teachers, Workers decided to go on strike from August 17, for the reason that the departments concerned in Secretariat begin their work on establishment (payment of salaries calculation etc ) from the said date.
The work related to payment of salaries would be completed by month ending if the staff concerned start the said strike from August 17. That is the deadline date for completing figure work/ calculations.
And that is exactly the reason why the government is keen on arriving at a solution for appeasing the TJAC leaders. In view of the deadlock over the talks between the group of ministers and the TJAC leaders, a delicate situation has arisen again much to the embarrassment of the government once again as the situation was being watched keenly throughout the country.
Only the time factor will decide who will gain the upper hand. As of now the government was in no mood to listen to the TJAC leaders’ plea to reverse the decision on ESMA.(INN)
Telangana employeed boycott the meeting, to go ahead with strike plan
2011/8/5 4:19:04 The Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee boycotted the crucial talks with the Group of Ministers, and announced to go ahead with their plans of strike, notice for which had already been served.
The talks between the Group of Ministers and the TEJAC were to take place on Friday.
In the first hour, the TEJAC leaders met the group of ministers at the D block in Secretariat but the talks did not take place as scheduled as the Telangana leaders alleged the atmosphere not to be congenial for talks and came out of the hall.
Later speaking to the media persons, the TEJAC leader Swamy Gowd criticized the government for creating a situation which was not conducive for holding the talks.
He announced to go ahead with their plan of action but gave the government another two days time during which period the employees would go on pen down strike and hold lunch hour demonstrations.
Leaders heading JAC of Telangana employees, teachers, Gazzetted officers and workers also set preconditions for talks which include; withdrawing the draconian law – ESMA and cancellation of about eight other GOs plus GO 177, withdrawal of paramilitary forces deployed at the premises of the government offices.
The leaders maintained that while the government on one hand invited them for talks and sought their cooperation and on the other attempts were being made to invoke ESMA to deal with them firmly, which was not acceptable to them.
Specific demand was made to ensure no employee was targeted by ESMA and cautioned the government that they would intensify their struggle for achieving the ‘Telangana’.
Swamy Gowd and V Srinivasa Gowd, chairman and secretary general, respectively told newsmen that the government had no faith in the employees and was trying to intimidate them by issuing GOs 165/166 besides invoking ESMA against the employees.
They asserted that their demands were legal, constitutional and democratic. Slogans in support of ‘Telangana’ were also raised on this occasion.
Apart from Deputy Chief Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha, Finance Minister Anam Ramnaryana Reddy, N Raguveera Reddy, Danam Nagender, Mukesh Gowd, Dharmana Prasada Rao, attended the meeting while Civil Supplies Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu and Backward Classes Minister Basavaraju Saraiah did not turn up for the meeting.(INN)
TJAC leaders sceptic about Friday’s parleys with govt
2011/8/4 8:26:21 The Telangana Joint Action Committee leaders on Thursday were sceptical about any fruitful outcome of their parleys scheduled for Friday with the government.
The TJAC leaders' scepticism was understandable, going by past experience they had.
As matter of fact, the TJAC leaders' strike threat and notice to the government induced the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government to invite them for talks.
From various sections, apprehensions have been expressed in the light of 'hoodwinking' attitude of the rulers that the talks may go on as stipulated but would evoke no fruitful results.
While the government side has already expressed its inability to speak anything about Telangana stating that it was not falling under its purview, the TJAC leaders are firm on their demand for a separate state of Telangana as that would resolve all their issues.
TJAC leader Srinivas Goud said on Thursday that their demands include implementation of GO 610, deletion of Clause 14 F, repatriation of employees, 42 per cent of Telangana staff in Secretariat plus 10 other points.
Mr Srinivas Goud made it clear that the GOs were issued periodically only as an eye wash and without an intention to find solution to their problems.
The leaders are doubtful because on one hand they have been invited for talks and on the other hand, various government departments’ heads were asked to invoke 'ESMA' to contain any resistance from the staff to ensure essential commodities were within the reach of commoner.
The latest coming under ESMA was Finance Department.
If this is the way of functioning of the rulers "How can we expect results," they said.
This way the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government was only trying to buy time and then water down their agitation like how in February/March the 22-day non-cooperation stir was allowed to dilute by itself. It reached a climax and touched on the national scene. That was the effect it produced.
Representing the state, Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy said point blank that Telangana was not under the state government’s control and so there is little that state could do about it but to appease or resolve the TJAC employees' leaders' other demands was their concern.
In any case it is unlikely that the TJAC leaders would come round to reason anything short of their main demands.(INN)
2012/3/18 5:28:56 Actor R. Madhavan's, who is on a break, is attending physiotherapy sessions for his knee injury.
The actor injured his knee while shooting for "3 Idiots" in 2009 and he again hurt his knee during the shoot of Tamil film "Vettai".
He under went a knee surgery last year in Australia and is now recovering. However, the 41-year old actor regrets not listening to his doctor.
"Wish I had listened to my docs and taken a break earlier for my physiotherapy. Things would have healed so much faster. Big mistake," tweeted the actor.(IANS)
2011/8/5 4:20:09 Following boycott of talks by the Telangana employees, the group of ministers who were to hold talks with the Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (TEJAC) leaders here on Friday have decided to review the situation on all aspects again and submit a consolidated report to the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Representing the government, Minister for Finance Anam Ramnarayana Reddy appealed to the TEJAC leaders to reconsider their stand and come to the negotiating table for holding talks in order to resolve their demands.
The Minister maintained that the Telangana issue was not in their purview but discussions were in progress at centre on this issue.
It was reiterated by the Minister that the employees formed part of the government; as such their cooperation is essential for running the administration.
Speaking on Essential Services Maintenance Act, ESMA, the Minister clarified that forces deployment or ESMA were part of a kind of security for maintaining peace and it was not to intimidate the employees or settle scores against any individual.
Discussions across the table were the main option for the government and once again the TEJAC leaders were asked to give up the agitational methods for realizing their demands.(INN)
2011/9/18 7:39:23 Telangana Congress Steering Committee Chairman K Kesava Rao on Sunday took serious objection for invoking Essential Services Maintenance Act against RTC employees, who planned to participate in the general strike from September 19.
Talking to media persons, Kesava Rao said that the government has been adopting coercive measures to quell the agitation. However, the employees would not cow down to government’s tactics and continue their agitation until the Centre announces a decision on creation of Telangana. He said the government was trying to provoke employees by invoking ESMA.
Stating that the Telangana Congress leaders were totally supporting the employees’ general strike, he appealed to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and other leaders not to make derogatory comments disturbing sentiments of Telangana people.
Keshava Rao said that the Telangana leaders would not withdraw resignations at any cost. He said that the Steering committee members would visit New Delhi on September 25 to discuss with high command on the Telangana issue.
The Congress MP also condemned the Telangana activists for picketing of Information Technology Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah’s residence in Warangal demanding his resignation. He appealed the leaders not to politicize the issue for mileage. (INN)
The Telangana region is heading for a major shutdown from Monday with several employees' unions announcing their decision to join the 'Sakala Janula Samme' or the general strike.
Ignoring the invoking of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) by the State Government, the employees of State Road Transport Corporation has decided to go strike from Sunday midnight. Of 22,000 RTC buses, nearly 10,000 ply in the Telangana region. They carry about 1.4 crore commuters daily. Almost 45 per cent of the RTC fleet will be off the road in 10 districts of Telangana region from Monday.
RTC Employees JAC chairman Anandam told reporters on Sunday that the employees were not afraid of ESMA and they would withdraw the strike until the Centre announces its decision on Telangana formation. Meanwhile, in view of the strike, the state government has issued special permits for operation of private vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Private School Managements also announced shut down for a week starting from Monday. Therefore, almost all private schools in the region will remain close from September 19 to September 24. The Private Engineering College Management Association has decided to shut their institutions on Monday and Tuesday to express their solidarity with the general strike. The Deputy Collectors in Telangana region will join the general strike from September 23.
Further, the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee will organise 'National Highways Roko' agitation on Monday. According to JAC chairman Prof Kodandaram, the Telangana activists will close Adilabad-Alampur and Kodad-Zaheerabad highways.
The employees of the electricity department are also gearing up to join the strike. The employees' unions have called for a crucial meeting on Tuesday to decide the future course of action. The meeting would be attended by TP-JAC chairman Kodandaram and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao. The GHMC employees too would be joining the general strike from September 20.
Meanwhile, the employees of the Singareni Collieries have refused to withdraw their participation from the on-going general strike. While the production of coal has come a halt in the SCCL's 32 mines spread across four districts, the thermal energy production is also set for a drastic fall from Monday as the reserves in four thermal stations are about to exhaust.
Several employees unions in the Telangana region including government lecturers have already joined the general strike. (INN)
2012/2/13 0:31:02 Responding to a petition filed by advocate Raju, who appeals the court to declare the junior doctors strike as illegal, the High Court has served notices to both Medical department and junior doctors asking them to submit their explanation in this regard before tomorrow. The court adjourned the case to tomorrow.
Last time also, when the junior doctors went on strike on same reasons, the court has warned them to return to duties immediately or else face consequences. So, the present strike by junior doctors may provoke it to take some serious action against them.
2011/8/4 3:18:46 A showdown between the government and the employees appears imminent if the words of Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee leaders are taken into account during a relay hunger fast at the Indira Park on Thursday.
Various employees’ union leaders, speaking one after the other at the dharna site, warned the state government against invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to stop them from participating in the proposed strike from August 17.
Addressing the demonstrators, TNGOs president Swamy Goud president lashed out at the government for its ‘double standards,’ of threatening the employees with invocation of ESMA and on the other hand inviting them for talks.
“We will not bow down before the government’s arm-twisting methods,” Mr Swamy Goud said. He added, “on the one hand, the government has invited us for talks tomorrow. On the other hand, the government has threatened us with ESMA. The people of Telangana are observing these double standards," the TNGOs president said.
Mr Goud was referring to an invitation by the Group of Ministers to the Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) to come for talks on Friday to resolve their pending grievances and avert a strike.
Speaking on the occasion, other leaders of various Telangana employees unions too criticized the state government for issuing threats of invoking the ESMA to stop the employees from participating in strike.
The Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee has already served notice of an indefinite general strike from August 17, besides a charter of demands, to the government. The strike notice is in support of separate Telangana state demand.
The charter of demands includes the appointment of a Judicial Commission to look into irregularities in appointments and deputations in violation of zonal regulations.
Earlier, Telangana Political Joint Action Committee convenor M Kodandaram called upon employees to play key role in the Telangana agitation.
Addressing the protesting Telangana employees, Prof Kodandaram said that, “they are not agitating for the increase in salaries or promotions but are demanding the formation of separate state.”
He appealed to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to take initiative with the Centre and use his office for solving the problem.
Prof Kodandaram also made it clear that the employees would not bow down to threats of invoking the ESMA by the state government.
“If the government tries to impose ESMA on employees, it will have to face serious consequences,” the TPJAC chief warned.
Speaking on the occasion, Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA K T Rama Rao appealed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to break her silence over the Telangana statehood demand.
“How can Sonia Gandhi not break her silence despite 600 people committed suicides for the cause of separate statehood,” KTR wondered.
He also criticized the Telangana Congress leaders for their alleged double speak on Telangana and demanded them to resign afresh from their elected posts immediately to prove their commitment.
KTR also urged the Telangana Telugu Desam Party Forum Members to demand their party chief N Chandrababu make his stand clear on the issue.
Expressing solidarity with the employees for their dharna, KTR said that he was ready to go to jail if the government arrests them.
MLC Chukka Ramaiah appealed to people to observe restraint and not resort to suicides for the cause of statehood. He appealed to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao to take into confidence leaders of all political parties and make united efforts for Telangana statehood.
Mr Ramaiah also alleged that the Centre was delaying a decision on deletion of Clause 14 F from the Presidential orders as it conspired to separate Hyderabad from Telangana.
Members and office bearers of Telangana Non-Gazzetted Officers Association, Telangana Gazette Officers Association and other employees’ unions attended the dharna programme.(INN)
2012/4/23 9:51:32 Hyderabad, April 23 (INN): The Regional Passport Office on Monday issued 507 Passports exclusively for Haj Pilgrims.
The Passports were issued for pilgrimage for travel only to Saudi Arabia with a validity of one year. These Passports were issued under special category without police verification. According to RPO Dr Srikar Reddy, a total of 1200 Passports for Haj pilgrims have been issued so far.
The Passports were issued during a Special Adalat held for Haj Pilgrims on Monday. Besides the Regional Passport Officer, State Haj Committee chairman Syed Khaleeluddin Ahmed, SHC Executive Officer Prof S A Shukoor and other members were also present.
This year the Haj Committee has made it mandatory for the intending pilgrims to apply with a valid International Passport. Around 750 passports were issued with 10-year validity after police verification.
The RPO told reporters that around 20,000 passports applications submitted in the year 2011 in the old (Legacy System) and pending for various deficiencies and that defect letters were posted to the applicants they could submit the various documents and have their passports issued. He said there would be a daily Adalat on working days for applicants who submitted the applications in the old system from May 1st to May 31st, wherein the applications would be disposed off once the documents were submitted.
For those applicants applying under Tatkaal and those who are in urgent need of Passports for Educational, Medical, Visa interview, Job purpose etc., and not able to get appointments have been advised to come to Regional Passport Office and they will be issued out of turn appointments. Applicants should come to the office with valid printed ARN and also with required and supporting documents showing proof of urgency for issuance of out of turn appointments.
State govt braces for T stir as Centre toys with 14 F deletion
2011/8/9 9:08:20 The N Kiran Kumar Reddy government appears to be in a dilemma with the Centre delaying the deletion process on Clause 14 F.
To add to this dilemma, the Cabinet Sub-Committee which held discussions on TJAC Employees' demands, except on 'Telangana', failed to take any tangible measures to avert the proposed strike from August 17.
The members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee, comprising of Deputy Chief Minister C Rajanarasimha, Danam Nagender, Dharmana Prasada Rao, N Raghuveera Reddy, Kanna Lakshminarayana, Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, Mukesh Goud, Basavaraju Saraiah and Duddilla Sridhar Babu met Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy and briefed him on their discussions, according to CMO sources.
According to sources, the state government has decided to adopt a tough posture and is determined to confront any eventualities to run the administration in the event of a strike launched from August 17, by the Joint Action Committee of Telangana Employees, Officers, Teachers and Workers.
Official sources however maintained that the ESMA will not be revoked as of now.
The Act has been kept in abeyance. As such it did not mean that the said Act would not be revoked. If necessary, ESMA will be revoked or invoked, depending on the situation, it was clarified.
At the same time, the government is not prepared to take lying low any agitation that would be launched by the JAC leadership, the sources said.
As part of running the administration as stipulated, particularly in the Secretariat, efforts are on to press into service the outsourcing staff in all the Departments from the day one of the proposed strike.
District collectors have been given full powers and also issued strict instructions to keep intact the official machinery and take suitable steps for supply of all the essential commodities to the consumers without any hindrance.
The government is also firm on sacking first those working on the contract basis if they kept away from duties. The work to rule will be implemented strictly including the ‘no work no pay’ rule.
All Heads of Departments in the Telangana region are expected to review the progress daily and report to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to analyse the situation/progress of the work in the offices on day to day basis.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister is understood to have had a telephonic talk with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier in the day on the deletion process in respect of the controversial Clause 14 F.
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs headed by the Prime Minister is said to have discussed the subject this evening.
An announcement on the decision of the CCPA would be given by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram later, according to CMO.(INN)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will shortly issue Rs 10 denomination Banknotes without inset letter, in the Mahatma Gandhi Series with the signature of Dr.D. Subba Rao, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, with the year of printing 2011 printed on the back of the Banknote, with incorporation of new rupee symbol.
According to RBI Hyderabad AGM, The design of these notes to be issued now is similar in all respects to the Banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi Series 2005 issued earlier except for the symbol. All Bank notes in the denomination of Rs 10 issued by the RBI in the past will continue to be legal tender. (INN)
The state Government which had a bitter experience with Jr. doctors strike during the last four weeks, has issued a G.O. brining them under ESMA thus banning them going on strikes for next 6 months. During the recent meeting it had with Jr.Docs. it has assured them of justifying their demands. Jr.Docs. also declared that they are temporarily calling-off their strike and made it clear that in case the Government fails to keep its promise, they will revive their strike anytime. So, as a preventive measure Government has issued a GO prohibiting them from doing strikes. Obviously, we can expect a sharp reaction from the Jr.Docs. in a couple of days.
The State Government on Saturday involved Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for six months imposing a ban on strikes in the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. The move was aimed to prevent the RTC employees from joining the on-going general strike from September 19.
Responding to a petition filed by advocate Raju, who appeals the court to declare the junior doctors strike as illegal, the High Court has served notices to both Medical department and junior doctors asking them to submit their explanation in this regard before tomorrow. The court adjourned the case to tomorrow. 
