82.94% candidates clear POLYCET 2026 in Telangana

Congress holds talks with Hemant Soren on fielding party nominee from one of 2 Rajya Sabha seats going to polls in Jharkhand

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.

| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Jharkhand Congress in-charge K. 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

Congress holds talks with Hemant Soren on fielding party nominee from one of 2 Rajya Sabha seats going to polls in Jharkhand

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.

| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Telangana procured 60 LMT paddy so far, 60% of India’s total procurement: Uttam

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

| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Paddy procurement has crossed 60 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) till date in Telangana compared to about 24 LMT in Andhra Pradesh, 11 to 12 LMT in Tamil Nadu, 3 LMT in Maharashtra, and nearly 2 LMT in Kerala.“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

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BY ARRANGEMENT

“Yet the BJP and BRS are hell-bent on spreading false information misleading the people,” the Minister said addressing a press conference along with Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Minister for Minority Welfare, Mohammed Azharuddin, held at the State Secretariat in Hyderabad on Friday (May 29, 2026).

Telangana Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy spoke on the quantity of paddy procured in Telangana in Rabi 2025-26

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BY ARRANGEMENT

Telangana procured 60 LMT paddy, Centre agrees to procure up to 52 LMTThe Civil Supplies Minister said Telangana was number one State in supplying rice to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) under the Central Pool mechanism. 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

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BY ARRANGEMENT

Estimated production of 141 LMT paddy on 64.36 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

BJP criticises State govt. over delays in Godavari basin projects

N. Ramchander Rao

| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

BJP Telangana unit president N. 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

Maximum temperatures soar across Telangana, seven Districts cross 46℃

Citizens distribute buttermilk to passersby near Basavatarakam Cancer Hospital in Banjara Hills amid soaring temperatures and intense summer heat in Hyderabad on May 23, 2026.

| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

Maximum temperatures continued to remain high across Telangana on Saturday (May 23, 2026) with a total of seven Telangana districts recorded temperatures above 46℃, according to data from Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS). Dummugudem in Bhadradri Kothagudem and Dharmapuri in Jagtial were the hottest locations in the State recording a maximum temperature of 46.3℃. This was followed by 46.2℃ in Dahegaon (Kumaram Bheem Asifabad), Mothey (Suryapet), 46.1℃ in Khammam (Khammam), Tandur (Mancherial), Palakurthy (Peddapalli) and 46℃ in Mallampally (Mulugu).The Districts which recorded temperatures between 45℃ and 46℃ are 45.7℃ in Regonda (Jayashankar Bhupalpally), Nakrekal (Nalgonda), 45.5℃ in Dasturabad (Nirmal), Balkonda (Nizamabad), 45.3℃ in Veenavanka (Karimnagar), Seerole (Mahabubabad), 45.2℃ in Sangem (Warangal) and 45.1℃ in Koheda (Siddipet).The Districts which recorded temperatures between 44℃ and 45℃ are 44.6℃ in Dharmasagar (Hanumakonda), 44.5℃ in Adilabad Rural (Adilabad), Vemulawada (Rajanna Sircilla) and 44℃ in Zaffergadh (Jangaon). The Districts which recorded temperatures between 43℃ and 44℃ are 43.5℃ in Bichkunda (Kamareddy) and 43.1℃ in Ramannapeta (Yadadri Bhuvangiri).The Districts which recorded temperatures below 43℃ are 42.4℃ in Papannapet (Medak), 42.1℃ in Bahadurpura (Hyderabad), 42℃ in Uppal (Medchal Malkajgiri), 41.9℃ in Madgul (Rangareddy), 41.8℃ in Nizampet (Sangareddy), 41.7℃ in Kalwakurthy (Nagarkurnool), 41.6℃ in Balanagar (Mahabubnagar), 41.5℃ in Madanapur (Wanaparthy), 41.2℃ in Basheerabad (Vikarabad), 40.3℃ in Kaloor Timmanadoddi (Jogulamba Gadwal) and 39.8℃ in Maganoor (Narayanpet). Published - May 24, 2026 01:37 pm IST

UPSC Prelims 2026 under way across India amid tight security

Aspirants leave the examination centre after appearing for the UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, at A.V. college in Hyderabad on May 24, 2026.

| Photo Credit: Ramakrishna G.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is conducting the Civil Services Preliminary Examination (CSE Prelims) across the country on Sunday (May 24, 2026).This year, a total of 8,19,372 candidates have enrolled for UPSC CSE 2026 for approximately 933 positions.The preliminary examination for UPSC CSE is being held in two sessions using an offline OMR format. The General Studies Paper I commenced at 9:30 a.m., while the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper II will be conducted in the afternoon.Along with a current photo ID, candidates are required to present a printed version of their e-admit card at their designated examination centre.Tight security arrangements, including CCTV surveillance, jammers and intensive checking, have been put in place to ensure smooth and fair conduct of the examination.Aspirants expressed hope that they would clear the examination with satisfactory results.Candidates arrived at Kendriya Vidyalaya in New Delhi’s Pushp Vihar for the examination and expressed hope to do well in the examination.Speaking to IANS, one aspirant said, “I am a bit nervous, but I have prepared well. I hope that I clear the exam.”“There is no fixed limit to preparation; we keep preparing continuously,” another aspirant, who is attempting the exam for the third time, said.In Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, aspirants arrived early at the examination centres, where tight security and checking arrangements were made.“The arrangements at the centre have been well made. Biometrics and retina scans are being checked before candidates are allowed to enter,” a youth told IANS.Another, speaking to IANS, said, “The arrangements are good. I am feeling good about the examination. I hope to do well.”In Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior, the examination is being conducted at 21 centres. Around 6,652 candidates are appearing for the examination.SDM and In-charge of the UPSC Examination Centre, Vinod Singh said, “For the UPSC examination, a total of 21 examination centres have been set up in the district by UPSC, and we have appointed eight route in-charges for all the examination centres who are currently carrying the question papers to all the centres.” Published - May 24, 2026 02:26 pm IST

82.94% candidates clear POLYCET 2026 in Telangana

Congress holds talks with Hemant Soren on fielding party nominee from one of 2 Rajya Sabha seats going to polls in Jharkhand

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Telangana procured 60 LMT paddy so far, 60% of India’s total procurement: Uttam

BJP criticises State govt. over delays in Godavari basin projects

Maximum temperatures soar across Telangana, seven Districts cross 46℃

UPSC Prelims 2026 under way across India amid tight security