Daily Archives: December 25, 2014

Karimnagar Farmer Shows the Way Out of Darkness

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Science & Technology
Veerla Prabhakar Rao stands beside the solar panels at his farm land in Velichala | expressphoto
Veerla Prabhakar Rao stands beside the solar panels at his farm land in Velichala | expressphoto

Karimnagar :

At a time when many farmers in the State are struggling to irrigate crops due to erratic power supply, Veerla Prabhakar Rao from Velichala village in Ramagundam mandal, has found a way out of the bleak scenario.

Rao, who owns about 60 acres of farm land at Velichala, which is 12 km from here, has installed solar photovaltaic (PV) panels with a total capacity of 18 KV, which can run two 7.5 HP pumpsets and irrigate seven acres. Speaking to Express, Rao said he had invested `7 lakh to set up the solar panels for irrigation of his paddy crop. He said thanks to the solar power, he is able to irrigate his crops well and believes the future lies in this.

“We can get power throughout the day with these solar panels. Besides, it is reliable and we could be self-reliant,” he pointed out. However, it is the cost factor that prevents farmers from opting for solar power.

“That is the reason why the government should provide at least 50 per cent subsidy,” he felt and appealed to the government to also bring awareness among farmers on the importance of harnessing non-conventional energy resources. “The power situation might worsen in summer. To have uninterrupted power supply for crops, it is better for farmers to opt for solar power and generate power on their own,” he said.

The government may take time to create awareness but Rao is leading by example. Farmers from surrounding areas are showing keen interest in his solar power. But as Rao himself says, the cost of installing solar power panels is what is holding them back.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / December 23rd, 2014

Medak Bags Highest Number of Nirmal Puraskar Awards

Amazing Feats, Records, All

Sangareddy :

Medak district stood in first in securing the highest number of Nirmal Puraskar awards announced by the Central government on Monday.

While, 35 villages in Telangana were selected for the 2013 Nirmal Puraskar awards, 25 villages out of them are from Medak district alone. The basic criteria for getting the award is achieving 100 percent sanitation, toilets at every household, good supply of safe drinking water, CC roads, on time tax payments by the villagers to the gram panchayat, all school-aged children going to school, etc.

The awards were not given on the basis of reports from local officials but a special team deputed by the Central government who visited the villages and submitted its report based on the on-the-field observations. Sources said, the credit of bagging as many as 25 awards by Medak district goes to the earlier officers who worked a lot to achieve 100 percent sanitation. Besides Medak, Karimnagar bagged five Nirmal Puraskar awards whereas Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda and Nizamabad secured three each.

Between 2006 and 2013, Medak district bagged 125 Nirmal Puraskar awards including 25 in 2013. Officers are hopeful that in 2014 awards also Medak will retain its first position.

RWS SE Vijay Prakash said in 2008 the district bagged an all-time record of 44 Nirmal Puraskar awards. “Getting the award to a village is not an easy task. It requires cleanliness in village and having individual toilet in every house, facilities to collect litter from houses, which constitutes an overall efficient sanitation system,” he added.

He said once a village gets the award, Central government takes care of development of the village and provides funds of `1 lakh to `10 lakh for various development activities, and `7 to `20 lakh for solid-liquid waste management.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by P. Krishna / December 23rd, 2014

Venkatswamy’s was an illustrious career

Leaders

Mr. Venkatswamy was first elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1952 from Chennur segment in Adilabad district. He was MLC from 1978 -1984 during which term he became Minister for Labour and Civil Supplies. He was thrice MP from Siddipet in 1967, 1971 and 1977.

In the Cabinet of Indira Gandhi, he was Union Deputy Minister for Labour and Rehabilitation in 1973, and Union Deputy Minister for Supply and Rehabilitation from November 1973 to March 1977. After his election to Lok Sabha in 1977, he resigned his membership of Parliament and returned to State politics to become Labour and Civil Supplies Minister in the Cabinet of Chenna Reddy and his successors.

He shifted his Lok Sabha constituency to Peddapalli in 1989 and wrested the seat in 1989, 1991, 1996 and 2004 general elections. He lost the election in 1998 and was denied ticket in 2009. After P.V. Narasimha Rao became Prime Minister in 1991, he was inducted in his Cabinet as Union Minister of State for Rural Development till 1993. He was Minister of State for Textiles in 1993-95 and promoted to Cabinet rank in the same portfolio in 1995.

He was president of APCC from 1982-84 when the Congress lost power. His son G. Vinod is a former Labour Minister and former president of Hyderabad Cricket Association. Another son Vivekanand was elected Peddapalli MP on Congress ticket in 2009.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – December 23rd, 2014