Tag: move

MP: Congress opposes move to go digital in Assembly; returns iPads

[ad_1]
Bhopal: The opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday opposed the introduction of a digitalised system in the Assembly during the ongoing Budget Session with all legislators being provided iPads, citing various reasons.
Senior Congress leaders including the party’s Madhya Pradesh unit chief Kamal Nath and Leader of Opposition Govind Singh have returned their iPads to the Speaker Girish Gautam.
This led to an exchange of barbs between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress during the session.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said the decision to distribute iPads to MLAs was against the tradition of Madhya Pradesh Assembly, adding he would not require an iPad, while stating that “these iPads are assembled in China”.
Govind Singh has accused the ruling BJP of using a ‘China-made’ iPad.
“Several Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives in Galwan Valley. These iPads given to MLAs are China-made… and therefore, we are opposing it,” Singh said, accusing the BJP of being double-standard in the name of nationalism.
The Congress leader also said the use of a China-assembled iPad may pave the way for ‘data stealing’.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who is also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, defended the government’s decision.

“These iPads are not China-made, and assembling means that products are assembled in many places,” he said.
In response, LoP Govind Singh demanded open voting in the Assembly, claiming that many BJP leaders would also return these iPads.
On March 1, the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government tabled its first paperless annual budget for 2023-2024, and each MLA was also provided an iPad.
The process of introducing digital systems in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly started nearly one and a half years ago, and for this purpose, a team led by Speaker Girish Gautam visited nearly six states where digital systems were already introduced.
After taking cues from different states, the Speaker had sent a recommendation to the Madhya Pradesh government for allocation of the budget to purchase iPads.
[ad_2]
#Congress #opposes #move #digital #Assembly #returns #iPads
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 2, 2023
Sharad Pawar advises ‘caution’ over breach of privilege move against Sanjay Raut

[ad_1]
Mumbai: A day after the Maharashtra Assembly initiated the process of breach of privilege of the House against Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut for his purported “Chor Mandali” remarks, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Thursday urged “caution” on the issue.
Giving his sagely advice, Pawar, 82 said that Raut is a senior and respected Member of the Rajya Sabha, the highest legislature of the country, that is the Indian Parliament.
“Hence, before any proposed action against him, the legality and guidelines for taking such action vis-a-vis MPs should be carefully examined. Raut’s statement is essentially a reaction expressed about a particular group and its meaning is clear without any interpretation,” Pawar contended.
After a huge ruckus in the House on Wednesday over Raut’s purported remarks of “chor mandali”, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar accepted a notice by some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members to initiate the breach of privilege process against the Sena-UBT MP.
Talking to the media in Kolhapur, Raut – ostensibly referring to the Shiv Sena of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde – said that “it’s a fake Shiv Sena, a gang of thieves, its not a legislature party but a ‘chor mandali’” and these utterances are now attracting the breach of privilege of the House.
Raising eyebrows at the breach of privilege committee convened for the purpose, the NCP supremo observed that the legislators from the Sena-UBT group, to which Raut belongs, are not included, “which is not correct”.
“Moreover, the committee appointed is expected to be independent and neutral. But, the MLAs who demanded action against Raut have also been included on the committee. This means the complainant is appointed as the judge, then how can justice be expected?” Pawar wondered.
The NCP chief, who is also a Member of Rajya Sabha, made it clear that the legislature in a democracy is the highest representative body of the people and its dignity must be maintained.

Nevertheless, he said that in order to ascertain whether Raut’s statements are about the legislature or on a particular group, the committee should comprise senior and impartial members to consider it collectively.
Delving into a historic example, Pawar recalled how during the tenure of the former Chief Minister Vasantdada Patil, his government was criticised by the (then) Opposition as “Ali Baba-Chaalis Chor” regime, and though such criticism of the law-making body (legislature) is never justifiable, opined that “the matter should be handled calmly”.
[ad_2]
#Sharad #Pawar #advises #caution #breach #privilege #move #Sanjay #Raut
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 2, 2023
Indian students evacuated from Ukraine move to Russia to complete degrees

[ad_1]
New Delhi: From being a student in a country which is bearing the wrath of a brutal war to studying in another that is responsible for this mayhem, Jisna Jiji (25), a final-year medical student who was among thousands evacuated from Ukraine nearly a year ago, has ended up in Russia to complete her education.
“Russia has been very welcoming to us. It did not impose any extra charges. We were allowed to continue our studies and our hard work has not been wasted,” Jiji told PTI over the phone. Hailing from Kerala, Jiji is pursuing her MBBS from the Northern State Medical University in Russia’s Arkhangelsk.
Exactly a year ago, Jiji, who was in her fifth year at a university in Sumy in Ukraine, was looking forward to completing her studies in Ukraine and had no inkling that 2022 would be so tumultuous for her and the country in which she was studying.
The war waged by Russia took everyone by surprise. Jiji along with several hundred students took an excruciating journey from Sumy to western borders after the war broke out in Ukraine.
The students were evacuated to India through ‘Operation Ganga’ conducted by the Indian government.
More than 17,000 Indians, mostly students, were evacuated from the war-hit Ukraine under the mission.
Several Indian medical students were left with no choice after their evacuation from Ukraine and have taken transfers to universities in other countries to continue their studies.
Many have gone to Russia, Serbia, Uzbekistan, and other European countries.

“The period after coming to India was very uncertain. We thought the war would end soon and we will be able to return. However, months passed and our student coordinator was also not giving straight answers,” said Jiji.
Students have taken transfers to other universities through the academic mobility programme.
Last year in September, the Ministry of External Affairs and the National Medical Council (NMC) issued a notice through which the NMC would accept completion of their remaining courses in other countries (with the approval of the parent university/institution in Ukraine).
Jiji would complete her study in July 2023. “There are around 150 students in Russia that I know who are from Ukraine. We took a transfer. We came in October when there was no hope left,” she said.
A few of her acquaintances have also gone back to Ukraine but she believes hers was the best decision to come to Russia.
“Financially and credibility-wise also, I feel this was the best option. Students who have gone back to Ukraine are still struggling as they are facing several kinds of issues like water shortage and power cuts,” Jiji said.
Asked whether she feels safe in Russia, she replied in affirmation.
Several Russian universities have welcomed Indian students from Ukrainian medical universities.
They put hoardings and banners welcoming them. They also posted photos of Indian students on their official Instagram pages.
One of the posts read: “150+ Indian students from Ukrainian medical universities took transfers in Northern State Medical University,”.
R B Gupta, president of the Parent’s Association of Ukraine MBBS Students (PAUMS), claimed that around 2,500 students have gone back to Ukraine, and nearly 4,000 have taken transfers to other countries including Serbia, Russia and Uzbekistan.
“Those who have taken transfer are mostly fifth and sixth-year students as practicals are necessary. Around 3,000 students are still in India and taking online classes. While around 500 have changed streams also,” he claimed.
Gupta, who for the last one year has been spearheading the campaign demanding one-time accommodation of evacuated students in MBBS colleges in India, said he has no hope that any help would come from the government side.
Gupta said his son, who is in his third year of MBBS, has taken transfer to a Serbian university after waiting for several months.
Ameen, 23, is in the last year of his MBBS and has taken transfer to a university in Uzbekistan.
Reflecting on the last year, Ameen, who goes by his first name, said: “It was hectic in terms of mental pressure regarding our studies. Mostly because we were uncertain about our online degree from Ukraine.”
Ameen came to Tashkent on December 10 to resume his study. He is pretty content with his decision to transfer.
“I decided to study in Uzbekistan because of the academic mobility programme. At the time, that was the only safe option according to NMC guidelines for Ukraine returnee students,” he said.
Asked whether the transfer programme was heavy on his family’s pocket, he said: “We had to pay extra fees for the continuation of the mobility programme but the university fee hasn’t changed that much.”
“Mobility is actually a choice. We can either go to Ukraine, study online or choose mobility. We have to pay 1,500 dollars extra for this. But you can be sure that you are getting enough practical classes,” he added.
Among those who are still in India taking online classes is Kanishk, a second-year student. He is still uncertain whether to opt for transfer or go back to Ukraine.
“I am not sure. Right now I am taking online classes. We had a pretty rough year. Nobody is helping us. We are somehow managing through online classes. You can’t learn to treat people through online classes,” he pointed out.
[ad_2]
#Indian #students #evacuated #Ukraine #move #Russia #complete #degrees
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 23, 2023
Mayors Of Srinagar, Jammu Oppose Govt’s Move To Impose Property Tax In JK

[ad_1]
SRINAGAR: The move by the administration to impose property tax on those falling under the jurisdiction of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Jammu and Kashmir from April 1 has come under fire, with the mayors of the twin capitals of the Union Territory speaking out against it.
Srinagar City Mayor, Junaid Azim Mattu, called the imposition of the property tax “arbitrary” and stated that the decision was not approved by elected ULBs.
He added that the SMC will explore ways to contest this move.
Meanwhile, Jammu Mayor, Rajinder Sharma, stated that the property tax was imposed by the Administrative Council of the Union Territory and not by the JMC.
He said that the aspirations of the people of Jammu must be taken into consideration, and an urgent General House Meeting (GHM) of JMC will be held on Friday to discuss the property tax and who shall be exempted from it.
“The JMC Commissioner, Rahul Yadav, will give a presentation to clear any misconceptions about the property tax, and the views and concerns of JMC Councillors will be collected and sent to the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, BJP J&K President, Ravinder Raina, and BJP National President, J.P Nadda for accommodating the concerns of the Councillors,” he added.
The mayors of both cities emphasized that the aspirations of the public and Councillors should be fulfilled, and that everything should be done to address their concerns.

[ad_2]
#Mayors #Srinagar #Jammu #Oppose #Govts #Move #Impose #Property #Tax
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

February 23, 2023
Hyderabad has 5.5 lakh stray dogs, officials move to check menace

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: Hyderabad has 5.50 lakh stray dogs, officials revealed on Wednesday, a day after CCTV footage of a four-year-old boy being mauled to death emerged.
As the horrific visuals triggered public outrage, municipal authorities on Wednesday decided to take steps on war footing to check the menace of stray dogs.
Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Arvind Kumar directed the officials to pay special attention to the controlling of stray dogs menace in the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
Holding a meeting with GHMC zonal Commissioners and veterinary officers, he asked officials to prepare an action plan on war footing in the limits of GHMC and other municipalities in the state.
GHMC officials briefed him that there are currently 5.50 lakh stray dogs in the GHMC area. They said that this figure was 8.50 lakh in 2011 but their population reduced with sterilisation operations conducted earlier.
Arvind Kumar instructed the GHMC officials that the ABC (Animal Birth Control) sterilisation operations should be carried out immediately.
The municipal authorities have been directed to restrict the hotels, restaurants, function halls, chicken and mutton centres within the GHMC limits from dumping waste on the streets. Due to the possible increase in the number of stray dogs in the city, it was ordered to take appropriate measures to prevent this dumping of waste immediately.
He suggested the awareness programmes also should be conducted for students in government and private schools in the city. Officials were ordered to prepare pamphlets and hoardings to create awareness.

The officials were advised to take control measures with the help of Slum Development Federations, Town Development Federations, and Resident Colony Welfare Associations within the limits of the city and neighbuoring municipalities. Control measures in other municipalities in the state will be taken up with the help of self-help groups.
Arvind Kumar also advised officials to prepare a separate mobile app for registration of pets in the city and surrounding municipalities. Identity cards will be issued to the owners concerned as per registration. He said steps should be taken to register complaints through My GHMC App No. 040 – 21111111.
He said that the areas where most of the cases are registered should be identified and immediate action should be taken there. The authorities have been directed to move veterinary teams in those areas and take appropriate measures to curb them and also to pay special attention to the areas which lack transportation.
A four-year-old boy was mauled to death by stray dogs in Bagh Amberpet area of Hyderabad on Sunday. The CCTV footage of the horrific incident emerged on Tuesday, triggering public outrage.
The boy, Pradeep, died before his father took him to a nearby hospital.
The heart-wrenching incident occurred in a car servicing centre where the boy’s father Gangadhar was working as watchman.
This is the second such incident in Hyderabad in less than a year. In April, 2022, stray dogs mauled to death a two-year-old boy in Bada Bazar area of Golconda.
[ad_2]
#Hyderabad #lakh #stray #dogs #officials #move #check #menace
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 22, 2023
I miscarried, while my best friend had a healthy baby. Is it time to move on from the friendship?

[ad_1]
After many years of waiting for the “right time” and then trying to conceive, my best friend and I fell pregnant at almost exactly the same time. I miscarried at 11 weeks, while she went on to have a healthy baby.
I had to distance myself from my friend, as her growing bump was such a cruel reminder of my loss. I felt immensely guilty about it, because obviously she had done nothing wrong. At the time I thought she understood, but when I felt ready to reconnect after the baby was born, she made some comments that showed perhaps she didn’t get it at all. There was an accusation that I had abandoned her. It also felt like a very selfish comment, because in all that time she had never checked in with me to see if I was OK, and I also could have done with a friend.
I think too much has changed now for us to reconcile. She has her baby, and I’m moving away. And yet, the situation haunts me. I feel so sad that a 20-year friendship has been lost over life events that were no one’s fault. I fear that speaking to her could end up creating further upset and another bout of depression for me, as it did the last time. Is it time to just let it go and move on?
Eleanor says: First of all I’m so sorry for your loss. Any grief feels like it draws a curtain between you and the rest of the world, but this is especially true when a big part of the grief is for what could have been. It gets even harder to connect with people through mourning: harder to share memories of what you’re missing, harder to know the loss feels as concrete to them as it does to you. The isolation of the grief you’re experiencing makes it even more difficult to feel isolated from a friend as well.
It sounds like part of the problem is you don’t feel properly understood. An event that’s become such a big part of your life and emotional landscape doesn’t seem to take up the right amount of space in how she understands you; like the map you have of yourself and the map she has of you don’t match. That makes it really difficult to have a friendship. It’s hard to connect when you’re not even really seeing each other.
These kinds of mismatches happen in all kinds of relationships, over all kinds of loss – someone who loves us just does not clock how big something is to us, how much it still affects us, how near to the surface it always is.
The issue is, the reason we got into the mismatch is the same reason it’s unlikely to resolve on its own. The whole problem is that something just hasn’t occurred to someone in the right kind of way – it isn’t occupying their attention. So unless they get a new reason to see it, there’s not much reason to expect they suddenly will. Really there are only two options: speak to her, giving her that new reason to see what you’re feeling, or decide what to do if this never changes. It can be oddly emancipating to spend some time with the realisation that those are the only ways forward. To get to grips with the fact that she’s very unlikely to see it on her own.
I understand the fear that a conversation will just cause further upset, but on the other hand, it might be a huge relief to feel some of the connectedness and visibility you’ve been missing. You’ve described this to me in such a matter of fact, compassionate way. This is no one’s fault; she did nothing wrong; you felt guilty for needing to distance yourself; but now you feel so sad at the thought of losing her.

I have to imagine there’s a way to talk to her that comes from that place, instead of devolving into who abandoned who (you could just set aside the fact that she didn’t check in on you either). It could instead be sharing something, from a place of vulnerability, that you’d like your close friend to understand: of course you were thrilled for her journey with motherhood, but it was painful to be reminded of your own.
Often the people we love don’t realise how things are for us. If we’re lucky, though, that’s something they want to fix as much as we do.
Ask us a question
Do you have a conflict, crossroads or dilemma you need help with? Eleanor Gordon-Smith will help you think through life’s questions and puzzles, big and small. Questions can be anonymous.
[ad_2]
#miscarried #friend #healthy #baby #time #move #friendship
( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )

February 16, 2023
Haley looks to move past Trump with a style that predates him

[ad_1]
Speaking to a packed covered pavilion, Haley, 51, made her opening case to the Republican electorate to take her bid for the White House seriously. She avoided any direct mention of her former boss, despite painting a picture of a party that should dump “the stale ideas and faded names of the past,” while requiring “mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years.”
“America is not past our prime,” Haley said. “It’s just that our politicians are past theirs.”
The event was not devoid of the pugilism and politics of personality that Trump has come to personify. Haley touted her standoffs with world despots as U.N. ambassador and denounced the social liberal culture that has become a bogeyman on the right.
But, stylistically, it was nothing like the rallies that have dominated the conservative movement since Trump’s rise in 2015, when his freewheeling, populist-tinged monologues to a crowd of costumed, adoring supporters became standard affairs. Indeed, the most attention-grabbing outfit at Haley’s downtown event was on a man wearing khaki pants and a Declaration of Independence golf shirt.
It remains to be seen whether Haley’s offering of pre-Trump style of politics will resonate beyond the bastion of support the former South Carolina governor has in her home state. But the response to her campaign launch will provide an early test as to what — if any — approach may work for a candidate without Trump as their surname.
The former president loomed over the event, and not just as the subtext of Haley’s jabs.
Outside the arena, a white pickup truck drove up and down King Street flying Trump flags from its bed, a reminder that the attempted un-MAGA-fication of the Republican Party has only just begun — and may well stall before the South Carolina primary. When Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a Haley endorser, mentioned Trump by name and suggested that Republicans should thank him for his past leadership as they look toward a new direction, he received tepid applause.
“In 2016, President Trump was exactly what our country and our party needed,” said Norman, who was part of Haley’s 2004 freshman class in the South Carolina statehouse, and endorsed her longshot bid for governor in 2010. The congressman, who had been a vocal supporter of Trump and voted against certifying the 2020 election results, called Haley a “fierce, bold leader who will fight for America.”

It was a sign that the constituency of voters who will be enthusiastic about Haley may be ready to move on from Trump but not repudiate him outright.
Voters like Diane Whitten of Georgia, who came to Haley’s rally with a friend. She said she had long supported the 45th president but believed “one of Trump’s biggest faults is his mouth.” She was interested in hearing from other potential GOP leaders, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Like other Republicans expected to enter the field, Haley will have to walk a fine line in how she criticizes the former president and his policies and personality. Trump put Haley on the international stage when he appointed her ambassador to the United Nations in 2017, an experience she touts as part of her pitch to voters.
Her announcement speech was a relatively paint-by-numbers expression of conservatism without the ad libs. She highlighted general GOP priorities like strengthening border security and boosting police resources, shrinking the national debt and allowing parents to have school choice. Calling for a “strong and proud, not weak and woke” country, Haley said America could prevent, not start wars, if it invests in a “strong military.”
Left unmentioned were some of the darker chapters of the Trump era — mainly the end of it.
Having once declared Trump toxic because of his handling of the insurrection on Jan. 6, Haley did not talk about or allude to that day in her remarks. While she will undoubtedly need Never Trumpers and traditional Republicans in her camp to remain viable, the calculation on Wednesday seemed to be that she must continue to appeal to the most conservative, anti-establishment wing of the party.
But Haley’s subtle touch didn’t go unnoticed at Mar-a-Lago. Trump’s campaign sent out a news release titled “The Real Nikki Haley” as her event concluded, and allies of the former president bashed Haley for failing to offer policies that clearly differed from Trump’s.
By entering the race early, Haley positioned herself to not only capture much-needed earned media in the coming weeks — she heads to New Hampshire on Thursday, and to Iowa after that — but campaign funds too. Many of her potential GOP opponents are limited in their ability to raise federal funds until they enter the race, though her fellow South Carolina Republican, Sen. Tim Scott, has nearly $22 million on hand that could be transferred to a presidential campaign account.
Diana Stevenson of Columbia, who was already in Charleston for another event, came by Haley’s announcement to cheer on the woman she supported for governor in 2010 — whom she watched on the primary debate stage take on a handful of accomplished male candidates. “And she tore them all up,” Stevenson said. “It was gorgeous to watch. I think she could do it again.”
But Stevenson, like some other Haley fans in attendance on Wednesday, said she was also eager to see which other candidates jumped into the race. In Stevenson’s case, she also remains interested in Scott.
“We have an open slate — even though we have a former president running, we’re going to have a competitive primary field for the first time since 2016,” said Michael Bayham, who traveled to Haley’s announcement from outside New Orleans. He previously served as secretary of the Louisiana Republican Party, and remains active in GOP politics there.
“Nikki’s always presented herself well,” Bayham said, “so I’m curious how she’s going to make her case and create a constituency right now in a field being dominated by Trump and DeSantis.”
[ad_2]
#Haley #move #Trump #style #predates
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

February 16, 2023
Jamia Nagar violence: Delhi cops move HC after Sharjeel Imam, 10 others discharged

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The city police Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court’s order discharging 11 people, including student activists Sharjeel Imam and Asif Iqbal Tanha, in the 2019 Jamia Nagar violence case.
The 11 people were discharged on February 4 by the trial court, which said they were made “scapegoats” by police and that dissent has to be encouraged, not stifled.
The trial court, however, ordered the framing of charges against one of the accused, Mohammad Ilyas.
According to sources, the petition is yet to be cleared for listing before the high court.
An FIR was lodged in connection with the violence that erupted after a clash between police and people protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the Jamia Nagar area here in December 2019.
Imam was accused of instigating the riots by delivering a provocative speech at the Jamia Milia University on December 13, 2019. He will continue to remain in jail as he is an accused in the larger conspiracy case of the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
The trial court had said there were admittedly scores of protesters at the site and some anti-social elements within the crowd could have created an environment of disruption and havoc.
“However, the moot question remains — whether the accused persons herein were even prima facie complicit in taking part in that mayhem? The answer is an unequivocal no,” it had added.

The Jamia Nagar police station had filed the charge sheet against Imam, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Safoora Zargar, Mohammad Qasim, Mahmood Anwar, Shahzar Raza Khan, Mohammad Abuzar, Mohammad Shoaib, Umair Ahmad, Bilal Nadeem, Chanda Yadav and Mohammad Ilyas.
The charge sheet was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
The charge sheet also included provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
[ad_2]
#Jamia #Nagar #violence #Delhi #cops #move #Sharjeel #Imam #discharged
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 7, 2023
YSRCP to move private member’s bill in Parliament seeking special status for AP

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) will move a private member’s bill in the current session of Parliament seeking the special category state status to Andhra Pradesh.
The bill seeking to amend the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 was listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha on Friday but it could not be taken up due to the adjournment of the House.
“Our long-pending demand for special category status has not been met by the government. There was no option but to bring a private member’s bill,” Lok Sabha MP from Anantapur constituency Talari Rangaiah told reporters here.
The party members and the chief minister have raised this issue several times within and outside Parliament in the past few years, but unfortunately the central government has not fulfilled its promise made during the state’s bifurcation, he said.
With this private member’s bill, the YSRCP wants to raise awareness about the issue which is important for the economic development of Andhra Pradesh, Rangaiah said and expressed confidence of getting support from the Opposition parties.
N Reddeppa, the Lok Sabha MP from Chittoor, said the party has also demanded setting up of a railway zone in Vishakapatnam, Rs 5,000 crore allocation for AIIMS in Amaravati and budgetary allocation for inter-linking of rivers project.
The party will continue to fight until the demands are fulfilled, he added.
Subhash Chandra Bose Alluri, the MP from Narsapuram, said funds are required for the development of the state. A special category status will help Andhra Pradesh attract more investments and revive its economy.

In 2014, Andhra Pradesh was promised special category status by the Congress government at the Centre during the state’s bifurcation and by the BJP during the course of its 2014 election campaign.
Manmohan Singh, who was then prime minister, had assured in the the Rajya Sabha that a special status would be extended to Andhra Pradesh for five years. This oral submission has been the basis for Andhra Pradesh’s claim to the status.
However, the granting of special category status was restricted by the 14th Finance Commission which did away with the distinction between general and special category states.
[ad_2]
#YSRCP #move #private #members #bill #Parliament #seeking #special #status
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023
Trump makes his first big move in New Hampshire

[ad_1]
The choice of Stepanek signals a potential return to the roots of Trump’s 2016 campaign in the state that handed him his first primary win that year. Trump lost New Hampshire by a fraction of a point in that general election. Four years later, the state slipped away from him badly, as he lost to President Joe Biden by 7 points.
“It’s a big deal. He was just the leader of our entire state party,” Karoline Leavitt, a former Trump aide who lost her congressional race here last year, said of Stepanek in an interview. “I think that sends a clear message to the rest of the Republican field that may be wanting to get in that New Hampshire is Trump’s territory.”
But Stepanek’s involvement is rankling some Republican activists. State committee members were clamoring for a change in party leadership after a disastrous election in which the GOP’s slate of hard-right, pro-Trump congressional candidates got pummeled and the party lost seats in the state Legislature. Stepanek was expected to face a challenger for party chair before he decided not to seek a third term. That job now belongs to Chris Ager, who beat one of Trump’s 2020 state co-chairs, Lou Gargiulo, for the post.
And it will do little to quell concern among some of Trump’s former allies in the state about the seriousness of his operation as he mounts his third bid for the White House.
Associates from Trump’s past campaigns have expressed frustration with what they describe as lackluster — or nonexistent — communication since his November launch. At least one key ally was left in the dark about the former president’s visit this weekend, his first trip back to the state since 2020.
And while Trump hats dotted the high school auditorium where party faithful gathered to hear him Saturday, several old allies and supporters say they’re holding off on recommitting as they wait to see how the Republican primary develops.
Interviews with 20 former Trump aides and allies, veteran presidential campaign operatives and current and former party officials revealed heavy interest among Republican operatives and activists in his biggest potential rival — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
And a University of New Hampshire survey released this week showed the Florida governor with a 12-point lead over Trump among likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters — despite DeSantis not setting foot in the state in recent months. Younger operatives in particular expressed an eagerness to be scooped up by DeSantis, whom they see as the next big thing.

“President Trump starts the [New Hampshire] primary season as a frontrunner but his standing isn’t what it once was,” veteran New Hampshire consultant Jim Merrill said. “There is curiosity among voters and operatives alike to check out the potential field.”
That new reality was on full display at Saturday’s party meeting, where a cardboard cutout of DeSantis greeted attendees heading to hear Trump speak. As Stepanek prepared to hand over the reins and return to the Trump campaign, outgoing Vice Chair Pamela Tucker was signing up volunteers for Ron to the Rescue, a pro-DeSantis super PAC formed after the midterms to boost the governor if he runs for president. It was one of two draft-DeSantis groups working the gathering.
“I met so many people through the Trump organization when we developed that, and they’re all like: ‘Yeah, we need Ron DeSantis, because we want to win,’” Tucker said in an interview.
Other potential contenders are also drawing interest — and have spent years cutting into Trump’s advantages in New Hampshire. Former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have become fixtures in the state after making several visits each the past two years. Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has also made the trek north to “Politics & Eggs” at Saint Anselm, a prerequisite stop for would-be presidential hopefuls. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has headlined multiple party fundraisers over the years.
The state’s popular four-term governor, Chris Sununu, is a wildcard. Sununu hasn’t ruled out a presidential bid and has been acting like someone who’s gearing up to run, though several seasoned operatives in the state doubt he’ll go for it after declining to run for Senate last year.
Michael Biundo, a veteran New Hampshire GOP strategist who served as a national adviser on Trump’s 2016 campaign, said bringing on Stepanek was a “smart” move by the Trump team to try and allay concerns about his lack of operation in the state and curb chatter about his potential rivals.
But, Biundo said, “they are going to need to do a lot more to change the reality on the ground.”
The interviews with Republicans highlight the steep hurdles ahead for Trump in New Hampshire. Despite his pedigree as former president and de facto leader of the GOP, nothing will be handed to him.
Some Republicans see Trump’s early trip as a sign the former president expects a crowded primary — and is willing to compete. They also caution that these are early days, and that Trump still has time to assemble a full team and organize his campaign, especially with other competitors taking their time getting in.
Trump hit on that point repeatedly as he spoke Saturday to some 400 GOP activists — a contrast to the arena-size crowds he commanded in the run-up to the 2020 election.
“I have two years,” Trump said to cheers. “I’m more angry now and I’m more committed now than I ever was.”
Republicans have been waiting for Trump to emerge from Mar-a-Lago after keeping an uncharacteristically low profile since his fall announcement.
His lack of infrastructure buildup in New Hampshire had concerned some Republicans who worked on his previous campaigns. His New Hampshire trip wasn’t added to his schedule until Monday, nearly two weeks after aides announced plans for an event in South Carolina.
Fred Doucette, a former Trump campaign co-chair in the state who has not yet committed for 2024, said Trump “re-energized and re-engaged some of the people in New Hampshire” on Saturday, calling it “a good start.”
Joshua Whitehouse, who served as Trump’s New Hampshire coalitions director in 2016 and went on to work in his administration, said in an interview that the former president’s “grassroots are still there” but that the “main gap is staffing and infrastructure.”
“Once he puts those ducks in a row, he can be smooth sailing,” Whitehouse said.
[ad_2]
#Trump #big #move #Hampshire
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

January 28, 2023