Cannons in Adoor Mahalingeswara temple stand guard over centuries of history

YSRCP national spokesperson and former MP Margani Bharat inspecting embankment of the Godavari in Rajamahendravaram. | The riverfront development and beautification works are in progress as part of creating additional facilities for the Godavari Pushkarams in 2026.In a release, Mr. Bharat said: “The embankment of the river Godavari has been eroding since August 2 due to a huge inflow of flood water into the Godavari river near Markandeya temple area, where the officials concerned attempted to guard it by placing sand bags.”“The Godavari received above 14 lakh cusecs of flood water on August 2, leading to erosion of the embankment as the sand bags could not protect it. The damage to the embankment will be at an alarming level if the inflow of flood water touches the third warning level at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram,” Mr. Bharat said.Experts ignoredMr. Bharat said the way the riverfront works were being executed raised questions about whether the recommendations of irrigation experts had been considered.“Those ignoring the threats to the embankment and proceeding with the unscientific riverfront works should be held responsible for any untoward incidents,” Mr. Bharat said.On the inundation of low-lying areas at Kambalacheruvu, Mr. Bharat said the pumping station remained idle and was not being used to divert rainwater, leading to the flooding of many low-lying areas. Published - August 04, 2026 02:34 pm IST

Udhayanidhi Stalin at the Tamil Nadu Assembly in Chennai on August 5, 2026 | R. Raghunathan Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) charged the only change ushered in by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led (TVK) government was the renaming of schemes introduced by the previous DMK government.Talking to reporters in Chennai after the Revised Budget Estimates 2026-27 was presented in the Legislative Assembly, he charged the Chief Minister’s pre-Budget meeting with officials had been convened solely to rename schemes launched by the erstwhile Dravidian Model government.Referring to the Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram Scheme announced in the Budget, Mr. Udhayanidhi said it fell short of the Chief Minister’s election promise, which, he claimed, was to extend the benefit to all children in Tamil Nadu.“Now, the Budget says the scheme will be implemented only for children born in government hospitals. There is no announcement to fulfil the election promises,” he said.Scheme names during DMK regime - New names of schemes announced by TVK governmentAnbu Cholai scheme - Integrated Senior Citizen HomesUlagam Ungal Kaiyil laptop distribution scheme - Vetri Laptop SchemeKalaignar Kanavu Illam Thittam - Vetri Veedu ThittamModel Schools - Thagaisal PallikalMudhalvar Padaipagangal - Digital NoolagamMr. Udhayanidhi said the Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme, the Iyothee Thass Pandithar Habitation Scheme, and the Olympic Centres of Excellence had all been introduced during the DMK regime.“Anbu Cholai, a scheme for the welfare of senior citizens, has been renamed Integrated Senior Citizen Homes. Similarly, the Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil laptop distribution scheme has been renamed the Vetri Laptop Scheme, Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Thittam has become Vetri Veedu Thittam, Model Schools have been renamed Thagaisal Pallikal, and Mudhalvar Padaipagangal has been renamed Digital Noolagam,” he said.‘No courage for govt. in Mekedatu issue’Referring to The Hindu’s report that Tamil Nadu’s receipt of Cauvery water in July had fallen to a 50-year low, Mr. Udhayanidhi alleged the government lacked the courage to prevent Karnataka from proceeding with the proposed Mekedatu dam project.DMK MLA and former Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said the figures contained in the Revised Budget Estimates had disproved the criticism levelled against the previous DMK government in the White Paper released by the TVK-led regime earlier.He said the State’s annual borrowing was around ₹1 lakh crore during the DMK’s tenure, but had now increased to ₹1.22 lakh crore. “The capital expenditure has been reduced by ₹3,000 crore, while the revenue deficit has increased to ₹7,000 crore. Revenue expenditure, which stood at ₹3.39 lakh crore, has risen to ₹4.05 lakh crore,” he said. Published - August 05, 2026 08:42 pm IST

Representative image | 6% this year, allocating ₹23,357 crore, and continuing its steady increase in public health allocations over the past few years. The announcements for the health sector include 1,000 Mobile Geriatric Treatment Centres, maternity care and support centres and a Hub-and-Spoke medical system for cancer care.There has been a year-on-year increase in Tamil Nadu’s health allocation, with the amount rising from ₹20,197 crore in 2024-2025 to ₹21,905 crore in 2025-2026. While the allocation increased by 8.45% in the previous year, the current year’s increase stands at 6.62%. Despite drawing differing views, the TVK government went ahead and allocated ₹560 crore in the Revised Budget Estimates for its “Thai Maaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam,” in which every newborn delivered in a government hospital will receive a one-gram gold ring.The government allocated ₹33 crore for establishing mobile geriatric centres for senior citizens. To be introduced in phases across the State, each centre will have a team comprising a doctor, a nurse and a physiotherapist, who will visit every village panchayat to conduct free health check-ups and provide medicines for chronic conditions.It will also set up “Thai Care”, maternity care and support centres for pregnant women. They can stay at these centres to receive care as their delivery date approaches. The centres will offer free meals, medical support, and continuous health monitoring. A total of ₹23 crore was allocated for the scheme. The government allocated ₹18.5 crore for a telemedicine system based on a “Hub-and-Spoke” hospital model to ensure access to specialised medical care for people in remote and rural areas. Five hubs staffed by specialist doctors will be linked to 200 spokes at Primary Health Centres and government hospitals through an online network. Over the next five years, this network will be expanded to 1,000 hubs and spokes.Like previous years, cancer care continued to be a priority area. The government will establish a “Hub-and-Spoke” medical system for cancer care. Five zonal cancer care hospitals will be established as primary points of contact for patients and will also undertake research and development activities in cancer care. Financial allocation for medicines were increased by ₹100 crore to ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines.However, the health announcements in the Budget fell short to address the need to increase manpower. The Tamil Nadu Nurses Empowerment Association expressed disappointment over the Budget, stating that it did not have any announcements benefitting government employees and healthcare staff, particularly nurses. It stated that there was no announcement on the regularisation of services of nurses currently working on consolidated pay nor on new recruitments. Published - August 06, 2026 12:13 am IST

Even with the volume of UPI transactions growing 425% over the last five years, the quantum of surpluses transferred by the RBI to the Union government has grown at more than double that rate. | The cost is currently being borne by banks and the National Payment Corporation of India.Mr. Malhotra was responding to media queries in the context of recent moves by the government to pave the way for a charge to be levied on such transactions. If implemented, certain merchants would have to pay banks for the use of the UPI platform, which experts say they would pass on to customers.An analysis by The Hindu has found that the RBI itself has more than enough funds to pay for the UPI platform’s use, without involving any additional charge on merchants or customers. This additional cost would amount to between 3-8.5% of what the central bank transferred to the Union government as its annual surplus.Further, even with the volume of UPI transactions growing 425% over the last five years, the quantum of surpluses transferred by the RBI to the Union government has grown at more than double that rate.Provisions to make ‘someone’ pay“The costs have to be paid by someone,” Mr. Malhotra said. “We all want that this public infrastructure should continue to strengthen. Let’s wait and watch for further developments on this.“The cost is already getting passed on,” he added. “It may not be directly on to the very user, but someone is paying the cost. This is what I meant when I said someone will have to pay the cost. What is important is that we continue to invest and we continue to find the means, whether it is MDR or other things.”A provision in the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 introduced in Parliament by the government on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) dilutes the earlier restrictions imposed on banks from imposing charges such as a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions. Instead, it says that the government can notify the kinds of transactions that can attract such a charge.Cost of running UPIAccording to sources in the government, the proposal to allow banks to levy an MDR is currently limited to a small sub-set of merchants — those with an annual turnover of Rs 1-1.5 crore — and to transactions above ₹2,000 in value.However, the wording of the Bill provides an avenue for this charge to be levied on a wider set of transactions in the future.According to banking industry officials, the UPI platform currently costs about ₹0.4-1 per transaction to operate and maintain. Official data shows that 24,161.69 crore UPI transactions were conducted in 2025-26. This would peg the cost of running the platform at ₹9,664 to ₹24,161 crore per year.Surplus availableThe RBI earned approximately ₹4.3 lakh crore in 2025-26. Out of this, it transferred about ₹2.9 lakh crore to the Union government as surplus for 2025-26. The cost of running the UPI platform that year would have worked out to 3-8.5% of this amount.RBI surplus transfers have grown from ₹30,307.45 crore in 2021-22 to about ₹2.9 lakh crore in 2025-26, a growth of 857%. Over this period, the volume of UPI transactions grew 425%.This shows that, even with this rapid growth in UPI adoption, the RBI surpluses have grown more than enough to cover the cost of all UPI transactions. Published - August 05, 2026 09:56 pm IST

Image used for representational purposes | Jothi Ramalingam Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) said the State government will increase lean-period fishing assistance for traditional fishermen from ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 per family, benefiting 1.93 lakh traditional fishermen families, with an allocation of ₹135 crore.Presenting the Revised Budget for 2026-27 in the Assembly, Mr. Wilson said, to encourage traditional fishermen to take up deep-sea fishing, financial assistance in the form of an interest subsidy will be provided to those purchasing deep-sea fishing boats equipped with modern processing facilities. A sum of ₹12 crore has been allocated for the scheme.Tamil Nadu Budget 2026 LIVE updates: Finance Minister Marie Wilson announces one-sovereign gold coin for brides in TVK-led govt.’s maiden BudgetThe Minister also announced that under the ‘Vetri Magalir Goat Rearing Scheme’, five goats or sheep will be provided with a 100% subsidy to destitute widows, deserted women, transgender persons, and persons with disabilities living in rural areas, benefiting about 30,000 eligible persons at a cost of ₹110 crore, he said.A total of 41 new buildings required for veterinary hospitals will be constructed at a cost of ₹47 crore. To meet the medical treatment needs of livestock, 25 veterinary hospitals will be upgraded into veterinary polyclinics, and 210 veterinary dispensaries will be upgraded into veterinary hospitals, at a cost of ₹40 crore. Further, 143 new mobile veterinary units will be established at a cost of ₹35 crore, Mr. Wilson said.The State government will introduce a new livestock insurance scheme named ‘Kaalnadaigal Kaappom’ to provide financial protection against the loss of livestock due to unforeseen mortality, disease or disaster at a cost of ₹31 crore, he said.Quality feedTo ensure farmers receive quality feed at a lower price, the State government will establish fodder seed banks and depots across the State at a cost of ₹6.70 crore. Further, an amount of ₹13 crore has been allocated to promote green fodder cultivation, improve the use of chaffed fodder, and restore grazing lands through community participation.Besides, to increase milk production and secure the livelihood of women living in rural areas, milch cows will be provided free of cost to 10,000 eligible women every year, and ₹57 crore has been allocated for the initiative. The Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department has been allocated ₹4,880 crore. Published - August 05, 2026 12:42 pm IST

Alphonso mangoes grown in Dharwad enjoy considerable demand in overseas markets, particularly among the large South Asian diaspora in and around London. | Speaking after inaugurating a three-day training programme on ‘Innovative Technologies in the Production of Premium-Quality Mangoes’ at Kumbhapur near Dharwad on Friday, managing director of the corporation T.R. Vedamurthy said that they were in the process of developing a software platform to provide an organised marketplace for mango growers.The initiative, he said, was aimed at ensuring better prices for growers, premium-quality fruits for consumers and improved returns for the corporation.Referring to export opportunities, Mr. Vedamurthy said the corporation had undertaken a study tour of markets in Europe and the United Kingdom. He said Alphonso mangoes grown in Dharwad enjoy considerable demand in overseas markets, particularly among the large South Asian diaspora in and around London.He said the Karnataka Mango Development and Marketing Corporation, being a registered company, should function on professional lines. He also stressed the need for the Integrated Pack House established in Dharwad for mango exports to obtain certification from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).Mr. Vedamurthy said Grade A mangoes should be exported, Grade B fruits marketed in the domestic market, and Grade C fruits processed into pulp to enhance value addition and improve returns to growers. The corporation would extend all necessary support to mango cultivators in this regard, he added.Earlier, Mr. Vedamurthy inspected the ongoing works at the Integrated Pack House. Representatives of the Mango Growers’ Association submitted a memorandum to him, seeking the fulfilment of various demands. Published - July 31, 2026 11:55 pm IST

otal deposits reached ₹19,404 crore as on June 30, 2026 from ₹16,570 crore as on June 30 2025, recording 17.10% growth. | 91 crore in Q1 of FY 2026-27, against the net profit of ₹12.18 crore for the same period of last financial year. Operating Profit for the period was ₹51.45 crore against profit of ₹33.28 crore for the same period of last financial year.Total business reached ₹35,190 crore as on June 30, 2026, from ₹29,051 crore as on June 30, 2025, recording 21.13 % growth. Total deposits reached ₹19,404 crore as on June 30, 2026 from ₹16,570 crore as on June 30 2025, recording 17.10% growth.Commenting on the financial results and performance, Ajith Kumar K.K., Managing Director and CEO of the Bank said: “The Q1 results are encouraging and reflect the sustained efforts made by the Bank over the past few years. I am confident that the total business growth of over 21% achieved during the first quarter will support the Bank’s strategy of sustainable growth throughout the year. Our Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of 19.19% and Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) of 92.77% have shown significant improvement over the position as on 31 March 2026, reflecting our continued focus on prudent business growth while maintaining strong regulatory compliance.”“We remain committed to building on this encouraging start and look forward to sustaining this momentum in the coming quarters, especially as we prepare to enter our centenary year in November 2026. I sincerely thank our valued customers and stakeholders for their continued trust and support, which have been instrumental in all our endeavours,” he added. Published - July 29, 2026 11:53 pm IST

Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy devasthanam in Vemulawada. File | 40 crore on Saturday (July 25).According to temple sources, the government had earlier allocated ₹50 crore in the 2023-24 Budget and ₹100 crore in the 2024-25 Budget for the temple development works. The development works, taken up at an estimated cost of ₹150 crore, are progressing, with nearly 45% of the works completed, sources added.With the latest release, the total funds sanctioned for the development of the historic temple, popularly known as ‘Dakshin Kashi’ have risen to ₹249 crore. Published - July 26, 2026 09:53 pm IST