Telangana to write protest letter against VB-G RAM-G scheme: Minister

Home News India According to the IMD’s latest bulletin, thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and gusty winds are very likely to occur at isolated places in 11 districts of Telangana Updated - June 13, 2026 03:58 pm IST Commuters move during rain in Secunderabad on June 12, 2026. | Also read: Thunderstorms, rain, strong winds lash Delhi; red alert issued, locals urged to stay cautiousAccording to the IMD’s latest bulletin, thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and gusty winds are very likely to occur at isolated places in Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet and Mahabubabad districts.Elsewhere, after the successful trial run and subsequent operationalisation of the Cell Broadcast system, a mobile-based disaster warning system introduced by the Union Government, the Centre has suspended Cell Broadcast Services from June 12 without citing any specific reasons.Also Read: Heat, humidity of India’s monsoon could extend summer heat stress as climate warms: studyAn order issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on June 12 stated that, due to certain issues flagged by the competent authorities, the Cell Broadcast Service is being kept on hold until further instructions.Follow for live updates:June 13, 2026 15:58 Uttar Pradesh | Couple, daughter killed as roof collapses during rain in KasganjThree members of a family — a couple and their four-year-old daughter — were killed after the roof of their house collapsed amid heavy rain and storm in Kasganj, officials said today.According to the district administration, the incident occurred yesterday in Sheikhupura village under the jurisdiction of the Sidhpura area, while the family members were sleeping inside the house, trapping all occupants under the debris.Officials said police and administrative teams pulled out the bodies from under the debris and sent them for post-mortem examination.District Magistrate Pranay Singh said the injured children were undergoing treatment and their condition is stable. He said the administration arranged for their treatment, food and other essential requirements.- PTIJune 13, 2026 15:46 Karnataka | CM D.K. Shivakumar reviews monsoon preparedness with district officialsKarnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar today chaired a review meeting at the Vidhana Soudha with Deputy Commissioners, Chief Executive Officers and Superintendents of Police from districts across the state to assess key administrative and governance-related issues.Strengthening preparedness ahead of the monsoon season was one of the focal points discussed during the meeting.During the review, the Chief Minister examined various issues concerning governance and public administration and issued necessary directions to officials to ensure effective coordination, smooth functioning of government machinery and timely delivery of public services.- ANIJune 13, 2026 15:02 Telangana | Thunderstorm forecast in 11 districtsThe India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a thunderstorm forecast in 11 Telangana districts for tomorrow.According to IMD’s latest bulletin, thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and gusty winds are very likely to occur at isolated places in Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, Jogulamba Gadwal, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet and Mahabubabad districts.- The Hindu BureauJune 13, 2026 14:20 West Bengal | Active monsoon to bring heavy rain in sub-Himalayan region of Bengal, says IMDAn active southwest monsoon over sub-Himalayan West Bengal will bring heavy rain to the region over the next one week, the IMD said today.Thunderstorms are likely over the southern districts of the State, where the monsoon has also advanced, the India Meteorological Depart

Hyderabad, Telangana, 11/06/2026: AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi addressed a media conference following a meeting with various Ulamas, representatives of NGOs and community leaders at City Convention Hall, Nampally, Hyderabad on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Photo: NAGARA GOPAL / The Hindu | In the representation, Mr Owaisi said the enumeration forms are expected to contain only details from the 2025 electoral roll, requiring voters to manually fill in information from the 2002 electoral roll. He reasoned that data collected during the earlier pre-SIR mapping exercise should be used to generate pre-filled forms containing details from both rolls, thereby reducing inconvenience to voters and easing the workload of BLOs.‘’It is also pertinent to mention that voters whose mapping was completed do not have their 2002 details, as the mapping was done on the BLO app, and no acknowledgement containing both 2002 and 2025 details was provided to them during the pre-SIR exercise,’’ he wrote.“We kindly request that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) be issued to address such anomalies and to enable the enrollment of such electors in the final roll,” an except reads.The Hyderabad MP also sought the availability of enumeration forms in English and Urdu in addition to Telugu, noting that English is widely used in administration and public life in Telangana, while Urdu is the State’s second official language.He also raised concerns over the limited list of documents currently accepted for verification. Contending that some of the prescribed documents are either unavailable or not applicable in Telangana, he requested that commonly used government-issued documents such as PAN cards, driving licenses and food security cards also be accepted.Speaking to the media later in the day, Mr Owaisi said that the move would affect the poor, who he underscored have only one significant strength, the right to vote, the most. “If the poor are excluded from this, then what is left of democracy?”SIR consequences beyond electoral processResponding to a question on whether the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise could have consequences beyond the electoral process, including the loss of government benefits, property rights, or the ability to transfer property, he said such a scenario could not be ruled out.“The BJP government in West Bengal has issued a memo or government order stating that those whose names are excluded following the SIR exercise will be denied all government benefits. Juxtapose that with the Supreme Court order, which stated that in cases where names are not included in the SIR, the Election Commission of India should forward those names to the competent authority. What would be the competent authority? The Ministry of Home Affairs. What will they do? They will ask those voters to prove their citizenship. Of course, that can happen.”He raised questions over whether booth level officers (BLOs) would be able to cover all households, and electors, given the exhaustive scope of work, and the onset of monsoon, which he implied would create significant impediments for BLOs in terms of reaching voters.SIR, a factor for TMC’s loss in BengalTaking questions on the recent West Bengal election, the Hyderabad parliamentarian said that while SIR undeniable was one of the factors, the Trinamool Congress lost because of misgovernance, corruption and not doing justice with the Muslims.Trump, a threat to world peace“Donald Trump is a threat to word peace. You cannot attack any ship,” Mr Owaisi said, irrespective of on what flag what the ship is sailing under.He also expressed his anguish on what he impli

The chances of widespread rainfall across the region remain low. | However, its onset has been underwhelming and is expected to stay weak over the next few weeks. While there may be occasional bursts of heavy rain, most rainfall in the coming days will likely be light to moderate, according to meteorologists at the Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS).“The monsoon is not showing signs of strengthening even so far,” said senior weather consultant Y.V. Rama Rao in an exclusive interaction. “The chances of widespread rainfall across the region remain low. There are no indications of low-pressure systems developing in either the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea—systems that typically bring more extensive rainfall at this time of year.”In recent years, citizens had grown accustomed to an early monsoon. This time, the delay extended the heatwave, making conditions especially harsh. Temperatures remained 2–5°C above normal until the second week of June, when the monsoon usually sets in. Daytime temperatures exceeded 40°C in several areas, while Hyderabad recorded highs between 38°C and 40°C. Night-time temperatures also stayed elevated, hovering between 22°C and 28°C.“The persistence of northern airflows is still bringing hot winds from central India, where temperatures remain high,” explained Mr. Rama Rao. “Though the monsoon has advanced up to Bhadradri Kothagudem, conditions remain subdued here. Rainfall has been normal in Kerala but more widespread in the northeast.”That said, increased cloud cover and gradual monsoon spread are expected to ease temperatures by a couple of degrees in the coming days. However, larger climate factors may influence the season. The ongoing El Nino — characterised by the warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean — could weaken monsoon activity. There is, however, a possibility of improvement if the Indian Ocean Dipole turns positive or if the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) enters its wet phase, which could enhance rainfall.Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) reports that El Nino conditions in the Pacific have strengthened significantly, with probabilities reaching up to 90%, potentially persisting until February 2027. Sea surface temperature anomalies observed in May confirm the onset of El Nino, with probabilities of 70-90%. ENSO-neutral conditions remain a secondary possibility at 10-30%, while La Nina is highly unlikely, said senior scientist P.A. Francis.El Nino is also associated with prolonged marine heatwaves in the northern Indian Ocean, which can disrupt marine ecosystems, damage coral reefs, and impact fisheries — adding another layer of concern to an already subdued monsoon outlook. Published - June 12, 2026 09:06 pm IST

Education Department Secretary Kona Sasidhar addressing the media in Vijayawada on Saturday. | Addressing the media on Saturday (May 30, 2026), Mr. Sasidhar said that every stage of the recruitment process was conducted with transparency, fairness and strictly in accordance with the government rules, notifications and legal provisions.Mega DSC-2025, the first major teacher recruitment drive undertaken in Andhra Pradesh since 2018, notified 16,347 teacher posts and received around 3.36 lakh applications, he said, adding that despite facing 241 court cases, including the one in the Supreme Court, the government had completed the recruitment process within a record 145 to 148 days without any judicial interruption.Appointment orders were issued to 15,941 eligible candidates, he said.Rejecting allegations of question paper leak, he clarified that the examinations were conducted through TCS iON, a nationally reputed Computer-Based Testing (CBT) platform used by premier institutions and recruitment agencies.“A total of 89 examination sessions were conducted across 154 centres, including 19 outside Andhra Pradesh. Different question papers were set through a randomised question bank of nearly 42,000 questions, making the leak technically impossible. No official complaint or evidence regarding any paper leak had been received,” he said.Mr. Sasidhar denied allegations of deletion or manipulation of data. “All examination records, candidate responses, normalised scores, merit rankings and selection data were securely maintained through encrypted digital systems with multiple verification layers. Draft and final answer keys, normalised scores, district-wise merit lists and combined TET-DSC scores were published as per schedule and remain accessible to candidates,” he said.Dismissing claims that merit lists were concealed, Mr. Sasidhar said detailed district-wise merit lists containing candidates’ scores, ranks and reservation details were published. Candidates were informed through multiple SMS alerts and the certificate verification was conducted only after publication of merit lists.Referring to legal challenges, he said that no court found any violation of recruitment rules or reservation norms, nor did any court stay the examination process.Referring to the widely discussed Naveen case, he clarified that the individual had no role in the conduct of the examinations or digital systems. His candidature was rejected because he had failed to obtain the required permissions and did not attend certificate verification, making him ineligible under the DSC rules.Reservation policiesThe government stated that reservation policies were implemented strictly as per the notified rules, including horizontal reservations for women, persons with disabilities, ex-servicemen and sportspersons, along with SC sub-classification. Sports quota recruitment was held separately, with 421 posts earmarked under the enhanced 3% reservation.To address candidates’ concerns, a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism comprising Zonal Committees, a State-Level Committee and a Final Appellate Authority examined and resolved nearly 33,000 grievances, he said.“The Mega DSC-2025 was a landmark recruitment exercise that combined advanced technology, stringent security measures, scientific normalisation, transparent grievance redressal and complete adherence to legal and administrative norms,” he said.School Education Director Thameem Ansariya and other officials were also present. Published - May 31, 2026 12:25 pm IST

Candidates search for seat arrangements as they arrive to appear for the Common University Entrance Test - Undergraduate (CUET-UG) exam, in New Delhi. File. | Following the disruption, examination timings were revised at the affected centres and “most candidates (about 95 per%) were able to complete their exam once it resumed”, the National Testing Agency (NTA) said.“Most candidates were able to complete their exam once it resumed. We understand that 3,765 candidates who were present and had completed biometric registration chose to leave before the exam could restart. For these candidates, NTA will hold a rescheduled examination as a one-time measure,” the NTA said on X.The new date and details will be announced separately, the agency said.In a post on X, it also said: “We know today’s unfortunate technical disruption caused distress for some CUET (UG) 2026 candidates. Candidates who did their Biometric Registration and were present at their examination centres today (i.e. 30.05.2026 in Shift-I), but couldn’t complete their examination due to this technical glitch, will get an opportunity for examination.”Earlier in the day, the agency blamed the technical glitch on part of the M/s TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), which “delayed the commencement of CUET (UG) 2026 at some centres on 30.05.2026.”Noting that the issue has since been resolved, NTA said that the “exam is being conducted with full compensatory time so that no candidate is disadvantaged.”“Morning-session candidates are being given the full duration of the paper and may exit only after completing it,” it added.Additionally, it also announced revised timings for the day’s second shift, which was originally scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., with entry starting at 1 p.m. The revised timing for the afternoon sessions are as follows- Reporting/entry: from 2.30 p.m.; examination begins: 4 p.m. (instead of 3 p.m.).Visuals from outside CUET centre in Ambala https://t.co/BR7JsDVzHW— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) May 30, 2026We regret the inconvenience: TCSIn a statement, K. Krithivasan, CEO and MD at TCS, said that “a brief technical issue” caused a delay of around two hours in the morning shift of CUET-UG.A statement by K Krithivasan, CEO & MD TCS @NTA_Examspic.twitter.com/cebDJw7E3y— TCS iON (@TCS_iON) May 30, 2026“The issue was promptly identified and resolved by our technical teams and the examination has since resumed without any impact to the sanctity of the exam. We regret the inconvenience,” the statement said.It added that its teams are “actively monitoring all systems” and remain committed to working closely with the NTA “to ensure seamless conduct of the computer-based tests.”The NTA also said that TCS iON, “has been asked to conduct a root-cause analysis and submit its report immediately” after the glitch delayed the commencement of the examination at some centres.Meanwhile, parents and guardians waiting outside the examination centres took to social media to share their grievances.Posting on X, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Atishi criticised the Union Education Minister, saying: “First NEET, then CBSE, now CUET…Today CUET has been delayed due to a ‘technical issue’. Lakhs of students were to take the exam in all parts of India today and after waiting for hours, such notices have been put up outside all centres. Remarkable incompetence @dpradhanbjp!”The CUET-UG examination this year commenced from May 11, 2026 and will go on up to May 31, 2026. As per the NTA, a total of 15,68,866 candidates have registered for the examination, which is being conducted across 35 shifts over the 21-day examination wind

51.1% of women in Telangana have completed 10 or more years of schooling, according to National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6), up from 45.5% recorded in NFHS-5 (2019-21) Women in Telangana are more educated, digitally connected and financially empowered than ever before, according to findings from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6). Yet, the survey also highlights a stark reality: nearly one in three ever-married women in the State report having experienced spousal violence.The survey, released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, paints a picture of social progress across a range of indicators related to women’s education, access to technology, financial inclusion and participation in household decision-making. At the same time, it shows that violence against women remains prevalent despite improvements recorded since the previous survey.10 or more years of schoolingAccording to NFHS-6, 51.1% of women in Telangana have completed 10 or more years of schooling, up from 45.5% recorded in NFHS-5 (2019-21). The figure is also higher than the national average of 46.4%.Bank accounts and internet usageThe survey recorded an even sharper rise in internet usage among women. Nearly two-thirds of women in Telangana, 64.8%, reported having ever used the internet, an increase from 26.5% in NFHS-5. The figure is marginally higher than the national average of 64.3%. As many as 92.3% of women in Telangana reported having a bank or savings account that they themselves use, compared with 78.6% in NFHS-5. Nationally, the figure stands at 89%.The survey found that women continued to play an active role in household decision-making. Among currently married women aged 15 to 49 years, 89.9% reported participating in decisions regarding their own healthcare, major household purchases and visits to family or relatives. The use of hygienic methods of protection during menstruation among young women aged 15 to 24 years reached 95.3% in Telangana, higher than the national average of 79.2%.The proportion of women who were paid in cash for work increased from 45.1% in NFHS-5 to 53.2% in NFHS-6. The survey also found improvements in ownership of assets by women. The proportion of households in which a woman owns a house and/or land, either alone or jointly with others, increased from 22.3% to 31.1%.Spousal violenceDespite these gains across multiple indicators, the survey found that 30.8% of ever-married women aged 18 to 49 years in Telangana have experienced spousal violence at some point in their lives. While this represents an improvement from NFHS-5, when the corresponding figure stood at 37.2%, the prevalence remains substantially higher than the national average of 22.3%.The survey also recorded a decline in violence experienced during pregnancy. Among women aged 18 to 49 years who had ever been pregnant, 2.7% reported experiencing physical violence during pregnancy, compared with 4% in NFHS-5. Another indicator related to violence showed that 0.6% of young women aged 18-29 years reported experiencing sexual violence before the age of 18. Published - May 30, 2026 12:48 pm IST

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren with Congress in-charge of the State K. Raju and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka at his official residence on Friday. | Raju and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka met Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday to discuss fielding a Congress candidate from one of the two Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand going to the polls on June 18.One seat became vacant following the death of former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president and former CM Shibu Soren last year. The second will fall vacant on June 21 when the term of BJP leader Deepak Prakash ends.Earlier, interacting with mediapersons after arriving at the Ranchi airport, Mr. Raju said, “We will sit with the CM to discuss the strategy for the election and our candidate.”On whether the party would field a local candidate or an outsider, Mr. Raju said only a local candidate would be considered. “The party is zeroing in on a local candidate. We have already informed this to the party high command. Earlier, we saw non-local candidates being elected to the Rajya Sabha in other States, but we have told the high command that in Jharkhand, the people’s sentiment is very strong, so it would be wise to field a local candidate,” he said.Former State Congress president Rajesh Thakur and former Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay are the front runners for the seat, according to party sources.“Who will go to the Upper House and who will be the candidate will be decided by the high command based on the reports of the State in-charge and other leaders,” State Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh said.Of the 81 seats in the Assembly, the JMM-led ruling alliance has 56 MLAs, including 34 of the JMM, 16 of the Congress, four of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and two of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. The Opposition alliance has 24 MLAs: 21 from the BJP, and one each from the All Jharkhand Students Union, Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). The House also has an Independent legislator.According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the notification for the Rajya Sabha election will be issued on June 1. Candidates can file nomination papers till June 8. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on June 9. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is June 11. Voting will take place on June 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Counting of votes will begin on the same day at 5 p.m. Published - May 30, 2026 02:09 am IST

Telangana Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy along with Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Azahruddin, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar at a press conference on paddy procurement, held at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat in Hyderabad on Friday (May 29, 2026. Photo: NAGARA GOPAL / The Hindu | “Today, nearly 60% of all paddy procured in India during the ongoing Yasangi season has come from Telangana alone. By the time procurement operations conclude, Telangana is expected to account for nearly 75% of the country’s total Yasangi paddy procurement,” said the Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy. Telangana Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy spoke on the quantity of paddy procured by few States in Rabi 2025-26, including Telangana | Telangana Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy spoke on the quantity of paddy procured in Telangana in Rabi 2025-26 | The Centre has agreed to procure only up to 52 LMT from Telangana though the State had already crossed the 60 LMT mark.“Every year and every crop season, rice production in Telangana is growing. Yet, the quantity of rice being accepted by the Centre through FCI is being reduced. The Chief Minister and I have repeatedly raised this issue with the Union Government,” he said. Telangana Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy spoke on the drop in the quantity of paddy procured from Telangana | 36 lakh acresThe Minister said paddy cultivation during Yasangi 2025-26 covered 64.36 lakh acres, resulting in an estimated production of 141 lakh metric tonnes. To ensure smooth procurement, the State Government established 8,575 procurement centres, deployed nearly 13,000 transport vehicles, and mobilised over two lakh personnel for procurement, transportation and logistics operations.Minimum Support Price (MSP) payments amounting to ₹11,050 crore have already been credited directly into farmers’ bank accounts. The Minister said that during the current 2025-26 season, both Kharif and Yasangi crop cycles, farmer payments and procurement costs involved over ₹39,300 crore.10,214 MT rain-soaked paddy transported to boiled rice millsReferring to recent unseasonal rains, Mr. Reddy said the government had acted swiftly to protect farmers from losses. Special arrangements enabled the transportation of 10,214 metric tonnes of rain-soaked paddy to boiled rice mills, ensuring that affected farmers received MSP payments without hardship.Ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao and Ponnam Prabhakar strongly criticised BJP and BRS leaders for what he described as their “politically motivated campaign.” The BJP should appreciate the scale of procurement, transportation, payments and logistical mobilisation undertaken by Telangana as it was unprecedented. No State government in independent India has carried out procurement operations of this magnitude.“If BJP leaders are genuinely concerned about farmers, they should prevail upon the Union Government to enhance Telangana’s

N. Ramchander Rao | Ramchander Rao accused the State government of adopting a ‘non-serious attitude’ towards the planning and implementation of irrigation projects in the Godavari basin and stressed the need to ensure optimal utilisation of the waters allocated to Telangana.In a letter dated May 23, addressed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Mr. Rao said Telangana was entitled to about 968 TMC of assured Godavari waters, but continued to face underutilisation due to delays in the restoration and completion of key irrigation projects. He criticised the government for delays in rehabilitation measures related to the damaged barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).“The Congress government has not completed the tests recommended by NDSA in time, resulting in delays in restoring the barrages of the KLIP and affecting the utilisation of nearly 200 TMC of Godavari waters,” he said. He further flagged the alleged delays in the execution of the Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project in Khammam.He claimed that the delay was depriving Telangana of the utilisation of 67 TMC of allocated waters. He also alleged that the State government had failed to properly identify the command area, delaying approvals for the Sammakka-Sarakka Barrage. “The Central Water Commission (CWC) granted hydrological clearance for utilisation of 47 TMC,” Mr. Rao said, claiming that the Union government had cleared several irrigation projects in Telangana after the State’s formation.“Projects accounting for nearly 360 TMC of Godavari waters have received approvals from the Centre,” the BJP leader said.Regarding the proposed Godavari-Cauvery River interlinking project, he raised concerns over reported discussions on altering the alignment and source location from Icchampalli. “Any such changes could adversely affect Telangana’s interests and hamper proper utilisation of the State’s assured Godavari waters,” he added. Published - May 24, 2026 08:23 pm IST