Hyderabad: Telangana deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Saturday, February 1 said that there was nothing for the state in the Union Budget.

Vikramarka added that the Centre failed to understand the issues faced by Telangana; “It reflected a glaring lack of understanding and commitment to states’ unique challenges and developmental priorities in general, and that of Telangana in particular,” he remarked.

Following the announcement of the union budget, the Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy chaired a meeting with the cabinet after which, Vikramarka said, “The people of Telangana refuse to accept this step-motherly treatment any longer. The state’s contribution to national progress is undeniable, and it demands equitable treatment, not systematic exclusion. The Centre must acknowledge Telangana’s potential and grant it the resources it rightfully deserves.”

Bhatti, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the budget, with a 30.5 percent increase in centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) allocations to Rs 5,41,850 crore (as compared to 4,15,356 crore in 2024-25 (RE)), moves further away from the principles of fiscal federalism.

Despite repeated calls from states for greater autonomy and a reduction in CSS dependence, this significant increase undermines states’ fiscal autonomy and reflects a disregard for the concerns and priorities of state governments, he said.

Telangana has consistently prioritised water conservation and irrigation projects, but the budget failed to allocate any significant funds. “The absence of support for Telangana’s irrigation initiatives is a direct blow to our farmers, who are the backbone of our economy. The budget’s focus on rural prosperity and agricultural growth rings hollow when it ignores the state’s pioneering efforts in water management,” he said.

In his remark on the Union Budget, Telangana IT minister D Sridhar Babu said, “It really pained us, and it is unfortunate that the budget did not even mention the Musi rejuvenation project, Metro rail expansion, underground drainage network master plan for urban local bodies, IIM, and other key projects, and no budgetary allocations were made. The state govt sought Rs 1.63 lakh crore central support for key projects.”

He further termed the Union Budget as a political vendetta since poll-bound states Delhi and Bihar along with Andhra Pradesh were allocated a handsome budget. He alleged that Telangana was deliberately ignored despite eight Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs being elected from the state.

The IT minister accused the Centre of betraying Telangana, “The Modi govt betrayed the people of Telangana, despite the state electing eight BJP MPs. BRS, which maintains a secret friendship with the BJP, is trying to blame the Congress govt, instead of exerting pressure on the BJP govt and working in the interests of the state. Politics should be set aside when the interests of Telangana are involved.” he added.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President B Mahesh Kumar Goud criticised Nirmala Sitharaman for her lack of concern for Telangana.

In a statement, he said the Union Budget did a grave injustice to Telangana’s people. He added that the Union government did not allocate any funds for the state, which he described as a “donkey’s egg” (a term used to denote something insignificant).

Goud said the budget resembled an election-focused one, similar to the one presented for Bihar, where allocations were made with an eye on the upcoming elections.

The PCC chief accused the BJP of displaying clear discrimination against Telangana, “In a budget of Rs 50.65 lakh crore, the Union government did not allocate even a single rupee for Telangana.”

He alleged that the BJP is using the Union Budget to gain political mileage in Bihar, where Assembly elections are due soon. He emphasised that taxes collected from the people of the entire country should be distributed equally to all states.

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Hyderabad: Before his much-awaited concert, Ed Sheeran has been soaking in the vibrant culture of Hyderabad. The global pop star shared his excitement with fans by posting Instagram stories of his experiences in the city.

Savoring Indian Food

Ed Sheeran is known for exploring local cuisines wherever he tours, and Hyderabad was no exception. The singer posted clips of himself enjoying authentic Indian food, including popular Hyderabadi dishes. Fans loved seeing him dive into the rich flavors of the city.

Taking to Instagram, Ed Sheeran shared a glimpse of his sightseeing tour with Armaan Malik, who is opening his concert. One of his posts showed him enjoying live music at a local venue, captioned, “Hyderabad, we are here! @armaanmalik is taking me around to see the sights.”

Hyderabad has welcomed Ed with open arms. Whether it’s the delicious food or the vibrant culture, the singer seems to be having an amazing time before his big performance at Ramoji Film City on February 2, 2025.

After soaking up Hyderabad’s charm, Ed Sheeran will take the stage for an electrifying performance, singing his biggest hits. From local flavors to cultural experiences, Hyderabad has given Ed a warm and unforgettable welcome!

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Hyderabad: Bathula Prabhakar, the man who opened fire at a pub in Hyderabad injuring a police constable and a bouncer was arrested late on Saturday, February 1.

Prabhakar is reportedly wanted in 80 criminal cases in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Last night he fired at the police while trying to evade them near Prism Pub in Hyderabad’s Gachibowli area. Following the incident, a team of Cyberabad police chased and overpowered him.

The police seized two guns and 23 bullets from Prabhakar. Later a country-made gun was seized from the accused’s residence. Investigations revealed Prabhakar sourced these weapons with the help of a contact from Bihar.

He said he wanted to seek revenge against a former co-prisoner from Vizag Central Jail, though police are still verifying this claim.

Further inquiries uncovered that Prabhakar used mobile phones registered under the names of two women and sustained a lavish lifestyle through burglaries, primarily targeting engineering colleges. His criminal activities first drew police attention during an investigation into thefts at institutions in Moinabad.

Firing at Prism Pub in Hyderabad

To avoid the police, Prabhakar opened fire outside the Prism Pub causing injuries to a Central Crime Station constable Venkat Ram Reddy along with other police personnel. At the sight of the policemen, Prabhakar opened fire and one of the bullets pierced through Reddy’s left foot.

The injured constable and the bouncer were shifted to the Continental Hospitals for treatment. The police, with the support of other bouncers, tackled and arrested Prabhakar immediately.

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Hyderabad: The scrutiny of restaurants in Hyderabad continues as the food safety department’s team conducted raids on February 1 at Kishkinda Kitchen and Poshnosh lounge and bar in Jubliee Hills.

Multiple food safety and hygiene violations found

During an inspection at Kiskhindha Kitchen, the food safety team observed that water analysis reports, Fostac certificates, and employee medical records were not provided. The kitchen was found in poor hygiene conditions, with refrigerators containing food waste and clogged drains. Semi-prepared food and raw materials were stored together, while vegetables such as lemons and potatoes were spoiled.

Additionally, live cockroaches were observed, and rodent infestation was confirmed with rat feces found in several storage areas. Expired food items, including Real Fruit Orange Juice and Button Mushrooms were discarded. Food handlers working at Hyderabad’s restaurant were also seen working without gloves, further raising health concerns.

At Poshnoosh Lounge and Bar, the food safety team noted that the restaurant in Hyderabad was operating with an expired license. Essential documents like water analysis reports, pest control records, Fostac certificates, and medical records of employees were missing.

The kitchen was found in poor condition, with refrigerators not cleaned or defrosted properly. The floor lacked proper drainage, and there was an open exterior without a window or insect-proof screen. Veg and non-veg items, along with food and non-food products, were stored together on the ground.

Expired and misbranded products, including Sichuan Pepper with no importer details and Citric Acid meant for industrial use, were seized. Several expired food items were found at Hyderabad’s restaurants such as Soy Sauce, Papad packets, and Rasam powder were discarded.

In addition, loose cashew nuts were found to be infested with insects.

Over 4K food safety raids target restaurants in Hyderabad

The Telangana food safety department has intensified its efforts to ensure hygiene in food establishments, carrying out 4,366 inspections since March and collecting over 3,300 food samples from restaurants, cafes, sweet shops in Hyderabad, commissioner of health and family welfare, RV Karnan told Siasat.com.

The department has been actively addressing hygiene issues in food outlets noting common violations such as improper labelling, unsafe consumption practices, and the lack of medical certificates among food handlers. Inspectors have also found food businesses with uncovered bins, insect infestations particularly cockroaches or rats and spoiled vegetables. Another recurring violation was the failure of food handlers to wear gloves during food preparation.

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Hyderabad: Five persons were arrested over an alleged job fraud in Hyderabad on Saturday, February 1. The accused lured job aspirants promising task-based part-time jobs.

The arrested persons are – P Devakrupa, VV Shiva Shankar, Balaraju, Prajwal Reddy and C Vijay Sagar. The fraudsters, with the help of multiple bank accounts, impersonated organizers of reputed companies, promising lucrative investment returns. They cheated job aspirants out of several lakhs.

Based on a recent complaint, the job fraud came to light and Hyderabad police’s cybercrime unit arrested the accused.

In a similar case on January 28, the commissioner’s Task Force North Zone arrested four persons who allegedly duped job seekers of Rs 26 lakhs.

The arrested men have been identified as Gaddapolla Pavan Kumar, 34, Boga Revanth, 39, Bapatu Rajiv Reddy, 32 and Sakkinala Sudheer, 39. 

The gang, who operated in Hyderabad, would trick desperate job seekers with fake offer letters from software multinational corporations (MNCs) and ask for money in return. They managed to dupe 13 people of Rs 26.25 lakh.

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Hyderabad: A man was arrested by the Hyderabad city police on Saturday, February 1 for allegedly cheating investors by promising profitable business opportunities.

The arrested has been identified as Kaswaraju Hiranmahe, 59, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, Secunderabad.

According to the police, the accused man started a business establishment named ‘Ration Bio Products’. He promised to supply bio enzyme-based cum chemical-free floor and washroom cleaning liquids.

In 2021, the complainant Subhash invested in Ration Bio Products after the accused Kaswaraju Hiranmahe promised him a 40 per cent stake in the company and assured an annual turnover of Rs 100 crore by March 2024.

The police said that Subash did not receive any of the agreed shares nor the promised returns.

The police said Kaswaraju duped more investors in similar ways, including Novai Tek India Pvt Ltd and Eco Nexus Cleaners.

According to the police, Swaroop from Novai Tek India Pvt Ltd invested a total of Rs 36 lakh and Mehra from Eco Nexus Cleaners invested Rs 50 lakh in the accused Kaswaraju’s firm.

Kaswaraju allegedly violated agreements made with the firms at the time of investment.

The investors also allege that the products made and supplied by Kaswaraju were of substandard quality and had high chemical content.

He duped the investors and was absconding before getting arrested by the team headed by police task force inspector K Saidulu.

Kaswaraju was charged under sections 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(4) (cheating and fraud) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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A major fire broke out in the cellar of a residential building near Hyderabad’s Kishan Bagh X Road in the Old City during the early hours of Sunday, February 2.

The fire rapidly spread to the ground and upper floors creating panic among the locals. Upon receiving the distress call, police, five fire fighters and Kishan Bagh Corporator rushed to the spot to initiated rescue operations.

The local police successfully evacuated the residents from residential building in Hyderabad, while the fire brigade managed to control the blaze after extensive efforts.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported. However, officials are yet to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Further investigation is ongoing.

On January 1, a fire broke out at a private office in Madhapur. The incident took place in Ayyappa Society, Madhapur which caused significant damage to property. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. 

According to fire officials, the fire originated from the computers and rapidly spread to other parts of the building in Hyderabad’s Madhapur. After receiving the information, two fire tenders from the Madhapur fire station reached the spot and successfully extinguished the fire. 

On December 21, a massive fire broke out on the fourth and fifth floors of the Sattva Elixir building in Hyderabad’s Madhapur. The fire reportedly originated on the 5th floor of the building and thick smoke engulfed its premises.

The district fire officer of Rangareddy, Shaik Khaja Karimulla, said four-fire tenders are in the process of dousing the fire, and no casualties or injuries have been reported.

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Hyderabad: Imagine a well-lit place with neatly arranged tables and chairs, paintings hanging around with soft instrumental music playing in the background. Sounds more like the ambience of Hyderabad’s popular cafes in Banjara Hills or Jubilee Hills.

However, this is no longer exclusive to upscale areas—eateries in Hyderabad’s Old City have reinvented themselves to cater to the tastes of the younger generation.

In one year, around 25 eateries like cafes, bakeries and restaurants with fancy names have come up in Hyderabad’s Old City areas such as Moghalpura, Falaknuma, Hussainalam, Shamsheergunj, Kanchanbagh, Santoshnagar, Golconda, Bahadurpura, Edi Bazaar etc.

“A tidy and upscale place is what the young prefer. We aim to set up an ambience in line with prime commercial areas of the IT corridor,” said Sarfaraz Khan, who set up an eatery at Moghalpura.

The target customers are mostly young men and women studying in various Hyderabad colleges and universities who prefer aesthetic cafes over Irani Chais or local bakeries to hang around. Fast food such as burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, shawarma or Chinese food are prepared and made available in different varieties.

“The next generation of Old City look beyond Irani chai and biscuits. Their preferences have changed. They no longer want to munch on egg puffs or veg puffs at a bakery or sit idling in an Irani hotel. They want to sit at a good place no matter if it means shelling out a few bucks more,” said Irfan, who set up an eatery at Bahadurpura.

A small investment of Rs 3 to Rs 4 lakh is required for setting up the cafes and restaurants for starting a business in Hyderabad. “If the business picks up the monthly profit will be around Rs. 25000 to Rs. 30000. Think if you have to do research to understand the local pulse of youth,” said Junaid, who runs an eatery at Falaknuma.

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Hyderabad: The Telangana food safety department conducted an inspection at the Shakti Milk and Milk Products factory in Jangaon district, located about 109.7 km from Hyderabad uncovering multiple safety violations.

Unclean, rusted equipment used at milk factory near Hyderabad

The inspection found that food handlers were not following proper sanitation measures, and issues such as a patchy roof and floor in the cold storage room, houseflies and mosquitoes in stored ghee, a dead lizard near food items, and spider webs on the roof were observed.

The equipment at the milk factory near Hyderabad was found to be unclean, rusted, and unsterilized, with raw food items stored haphazardly. Additionally, labeling defects were observed on the packed products.

As a result, 720 kg of curd was discarded due to contamination and spoilage while 1,700 kg was seized for labelling violations and suspected substandard quality.

Samples were taken for laboratory analysis, and further action will be taken against the milk factory near Hyderabad in accordance with the FSS Act, 2006 and FSS Rules and Regulations, 2011.

Food safety raids continue

On December 20, a task force team from the Telangana Food Safety Department conducted raids on a milk manufacturing factory in Hyderabad. The inspections were conducted at NR Milk House in Rahat Nagar, Amberpet, and Durga Dairy Products in Sultan Bazar.

Earlier, during the raid at Creamline Dairy Products Limited, located in Uppal, Hyderabad, the team found that raw food articles like Soluble Essence and Candied Karonda were not stored according to the temperature mentioned on their labels.

For the past few months, the food safety department officials have been conducting raids at various establishments, including restaurants, milk factories PGs, and manufacturing units in Hyderabad to ensure the quality of the food served.

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Hyderabad: As the concern over sustainability and the preservation of nature grows, a group of students in Hyderabad aims to reduce the use of real flowers for decorative purposes replacing them with artificial ones.

The artificial flower business called ‘Everlasting Blossoms’ was initiated by Shahnaz Ansari, Mohammed Azmath and Mariya Begum who are students of Class 7 at the Kurmaguda Academy for Relief and Education (KARE) school in Hyderabad.

Elaborating on the initial idea Azmath said, “The idea originated from an art exhibition held at our school a few months ago. One of our teachers assigned us sustainability and nature and gave us a basic understanding of the theme.”

He and his co-founders noticed that a lot of flowers being used for decorative and gifting purposes were disposed of eventually; hence they decided to create artificial flowers through glaze papers and ribbons.

“I focus on creating flowers through glaze papers, It takes about 10 minutes to create one flower each. A single flower costs Rs 5 and a bouquet containing eight flowers costs Rs 20,” Shahnaz told Siasat.com.

Explaining the process of making flowers through ribbons, Mariya said, “It takes about 10-15 minutes to twist the ribbons into different shapes depending on the flowers we want to create. Once these are ready and a fragrance is applied, it gives an impression of real flowers.”

The students said that they initially created the artificial flowers for an art exhibition in the school in Hyderabad, However, motivation from elders and teachers prompted them to turn it into a business idea.

Explaining the idea behind the name of the business, the students said that one of the teachers suggested the name. The students believe that replacing natural flowers with artificial ones will help preserve nature and help the city of Hyderabad.

“When decorative purposes can be fulfilled through artificial flowers, why should we disturb nature and generate waste which is avoidable?” Shahnaz said.

“When we were creating the flowers for the exhibition our parents showed some interest in the project and helped us. Once we put up our stall, we received appreciation from visitors who had come from different parts of Hyderabad and were interested in buying,” Mariya said.

Based on the success of the exhibition, the school principal asked the students to create flowers for an exhibition at the Indian School of Business (ISB) in Hyderabad. The trio presented a bouquet to the dean of ISB, who was impressed by the creativity and motivated them to take the art forward.

“When we presented a bouquet to the dean, he appreciated our work and motivated us to create more such things. The students at ISB shared tips with us for converting the idea into a full-fledged business,” Mariya said.

The students say they strike a balance between their studies and leisure, with their parents monitoring and supporting them. Azmath mentioned that he focuses on his studies during weekdays and spends weekends learning new flower-making designs

Shahnaz and Mariya said they are willing to develop a large scale business and aspire to pursue a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in the future. “Currently, our relatives and neighbours are keen to buy these flowers from us and the sales are steady. However, we hope to transform this into a fully grown business,” Shahnaz said.

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Hyderabad: The much-anticipated caste survey in Telangana is finally over. The findings reveal an astonishing 46.25 percent (1,64,09,179 people) of the state’s population belongs to the Backward Class.

The Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political, and Caste (SEEEPC) survey released by state civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday, February 2 covered 96.9 households in Telangana and surveyed 3,54,77,554 individuals.

According to the survey, the Scheduled Castes (SCs) comprise 17.43 percent (61,84,319) and Scheduled Tribes of 10.45 per cent (37,05,929) of Telangana’s population.

The report would be presented before the state cabinet on February 4 and would be placed before a special session of the legislative assembly for debate.

Telangana caste survey: Key figures

Muslim population in Telangana

Shedding light on the Muslim population in Telangana, the caste survey revealed 44,57,012 people are from the minority community constituting 12.56 percent of the total population. Among them, 35,76,588 belong to the Backward Class (BC) amounting to 10.08 percent while 2.48 percent are Other Castes (OC) with 8,80,424 individuals.

3pc population left out of caste survey

Minister Uttam Kumar informed that 3.1 percent of the population (16 lakh people) were left out of the caste survey as they were either not available or did not show interest in participation.

He informed that 1.03 lakh houses were found locked, 1.68 lakh families were initially hesitant to participate, and 84,137 houses were misclassified due to non-residential usage or occupants being non-Telangana residents.

Caste survey overcame hurdles: Minister Uttam

The caste survey was flagged off on November 9, 2024, with Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma becoming its first respondent. Minister Uttam Kumar who heads the cabinet sub-committee for caste survey said that the process was completed while facing multiple challenges including misinformation campaigns that attempted to mislead the public.

The caste survey was conducted with the help of 94,863 enumerators and 9,628 supervisors deployed across 94,261 enumeration blocks. A total of 76,000 data entry operators digitised the information within 36 days.

Drawing parallels with the Bihar caste census, the minister claimed it took just 50 days for Telangana to complete the survey at a much lower cost when compared to the northern state that boasted six months and an expenditure of Rs 500 crore.

Significant step towards welfare policies: Minister

The Telangana caste survey is expected to be a significant step towards data-driven governance and forming welfare policies based on real-time socio-economic data.

Minister Uttam Kumar stated the findings would help restructure Telangana’s welfare programmes to ensure equitable distribution of resources. “Telangana has proven its capability to execute large-scale data-driven policies,” he said.

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Hyderabad: In the past 24 hours, Hyderabad has witnessed two fire incidents. The latest occurred on Sunday, February 2, when a massive fire broke out at the Murphy Comfort Private Limited retail store near Hyderabad’s Shilparamam in Uppal Bhagayath.

The fire reportedly destroyed mattresses, pillows, and other cotton and foam-based materials.

Upon receiving information, firefighters quickly responded reaching the spot.

Currently, three fire engines are attempting to douse the fire at retail store in Hyderabad.

No injuries have been reported yet.

More details awaited.

Apart from the fire at retail store near Hyderabad’s Shilparamam, another fire broke out the same day in the cellar of a residential building near Kishan Bagh X Road in the Old City.

The fire rapidly spread to the ground and upper floors creating panic among the locals. Upon receiving the distress call, police, five fire fighters and Kishan Bagh Corporator rushed to the spot to initiated rescue operations.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported. However, officials are yet to determine the exact cause of the fire.

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Hyderabad: Ahead of the summer season, the power demand in Telangana hit a record 15,205 megawatt (MW) on January 31, marking a 9.17 percent increase as compared to the previous year. The highest-ever power demand of 15,623 MW was recorded on March 8, 2024.

The demand in Southern Discom’s jurisdiction has risen from 8,679 MW last year to 9,589 MW this year. Similarly, in the Hyderabad, the demand increased from 3,018 MW to 3,334 MW.

During a review meeting at the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited, (TGSPDCL) corporate office on February 31, energy department principal secretary Sandeep Kumar, alongside TGSPDCL chairman and managing director Musharraf Faruqui, assessed the current power supply situation and the preparations for the expected surge in electricity demand this summer in Hyderabad.

To ensure preparedness, senior engineers have been appointed as nodal officers for each district, and the electricity control room has reportedly been strengthened. As summer season approaches, demand is expected to reach 17,000 MW across Telangana with Hyderabad alone accounting for 5,000 MW.

Power companies are on high alert to manage the growing consumption which is primarily driven by the expanding industrial, IT, agricultural, and residential sectors, particularly in the Hyderabad region.

After winter chill, Hyderabad gears up for summer season

Hyderabad is getting ready for a sizzling summer as the winter season fades in the city and temperatures start rising. In most areas of the city, temperatures crossed 35 degrees Celsius.

The night temperatures in the city also crossed 15 degrees Celsius in most areas. Only two areas, Maredpally and Bahadurpura, recorded a minimum temperature of 14.4 degrees Celsius.

TOI, quoting weather experts, reported that the city is likely to experience an unusual weather pattern. Over the next week, Hyderabad will witness summer-like heat, winter chill, and unseasonal rainfall.

It remains to be seen how intense the summer will be this year.

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Hyderabad: A manja clean-up drive at Hyderabad’s Indira Park hosted by the Animal Warriors Conservation Society (AWCS) on Saturday, February 1, resulted in the discovery of 40 kg of dangerous Chinese manja from trees. 

The three-hour drive was attended by 40 volunteers from AWCS, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), members of the HCL Foundation and the Head Held High Foundation. Despite their best efforts, the volunteers were able to clean only a fraction of the discarded Chinese manja from the park. Boom lifts were arranged by the GHMC to help in cleaning the manja from the trees.   

AWCS will conduct another drive next Saturday (February 8) with more volunteers to hopefully clear out the manja mess in Hyderabad’s park.  

The AWCS is a Hyderabad-based organisation which helps in the rescue and conservation of animals around the city. In the month of January alone, they were able to rescue 28 birds among which seven died and four were left permanently disabled due to Chinese manja. 

AWCS has a dedicated rescue and rehabilitation center in Hyderabad which helps over 40 birds each month. People can donate to the organization through a QR code on their Instagram to help save birds entangled in the nylon manja or even sign up as volunteers through the website.

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Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress party, on Sunday, February 2, demanded Union minister and BJP leader Kishan Reddy’s registration alleging Telangana was ignored in the Union Budget, presented on Saturday.

Addressing a protest in Hyderabad, organized by the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), AICC member Kota Neelima strongly condemned the BJP government’s neglect of Telangana.

She demanded that the BJP MP Kishan Reddy should immediately resign for failing to secure funds for Telangana in the budget.

“If he cannot fight for our state’s rightful share, he has no moral right to represent Telangana. Either he must resign or not return to Hyderabad,” she said.

This is not a state budget: Kishan Reddy

In response to criticism from political parties from Telangana that the Centre has given nothing to Telangana in the union budget, Union coal and mines minister G Kishan Reddy said that it was not the state budget.

Calling the budget introduced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman the “dream budget of the poor,” he explained the various ways it will help the state.

He said that the income tax exemption for up to Rs 12 lakh was a great relief to the middle class.

Also announcing that Telangana would get Rs 10,000 crore, as it is an urban state, he said that the state would also get funds under the AMRIT scheme.

Nothing in budget for Telangana: Dy CM Bhatti Vikramarka

Telangana deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Saturday, February 1 said that there was nothing for the state in the Union Budget.

Vikramarka added that the Centre failed to understand the issues faced by Telangana; “It reflected a glaring lack of understanding and commitment to states’ unique challenges and developmental priorities in general, and that of Telangana in particular,” he remarked.

Following the announcement of the union budget, the Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy chaired a meeting with the cabinet after which, Vikramarka said, “The people of Telangana refuse to accept this step-motherly treatment any longer. The state’s contribution to national progress is undeniable, and it demands equitable treatment, not systematic exclusion. The Centre must acknowledge Telangana’s potential and grant it the resources it rightfully deserves.”

Bhatti, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the budget, with a 30.5 percent increase in centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) allocations to Rs 5,41,850 crore (as compared to 4,15,356 crore in 2024-25 (RE)), moves further away from the principles of fiscal federalism.

Despite repeated calls from states for greater autonomy and a reduction in CSS dependence, this significant increase undermines states’ fiscal autonomy and reflects a disregard for the concerns and priorities of state governments, he said.

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Hyderabad: The third meeting of the Telangana Assembly’s fourth session will be held here on February 4. A letter by the Secretary to the State Legislature to that effected was sent to the chief secretary and other offices notifying the same. The session is being held likely to discuss the findings of the Congress government’s caste census, the numbers of which were released.

The findings of the Telangana caste census reveal an astonishing 46.25 percent (1,64,09,179 people) of the state’s population belongs to the Backward Class. On February 4, a session of the Telangana Legislative Council will also be held as well.

The caste census also showed that the Muslim population in Telangana accounted for 44,57,012 people are from the minority community constituting 12.56 percent of the total population. Among them, 35,76,588 belong to the Backward Class (BC) amounting to 10.08 percent while 2.48 percent are Other Castes (OC) with 8,80,424 individuals.

The Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political, and Caste (SEEEPC) survey released by state civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday, February 2 covered 96.9 households in Telangana and surveyed 3,54,77,554 individuals, the government said.

While the Telangana government released the data, it is likely to lead to demands from the BC community for more representation in terms of reservation in local body polls, which are yet to be held. The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is also likely to question the findings. It may be remembered the earlier BRS government also held the Kutumba Samagraha Survey after it came to power in 2014.

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Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has unveiled plans to transform Hussain Sagar Lake with a 10 km-long skywalk and cycle track, aiming to enhance connectivity and improve the visitor experience.

The project will link Khairatabad Metro and MMTS stations with key landmarks such as Necklace Road, IMAX, NTR Park, Lumbini Park, and Indira Park. The six-meter-wide skywalk will have separate walking and cycling lanes, along with elevators at major entry points for easy access.

In addition to connectivity, the project includes food courts, open-air theaters, gaming zones, and mini-theaters to make the area more vibrant. With an estimated cost of Rs.500 crore, it will generate revenue through ticketed entry and commercial zones while promoting sustainable urban development.

HMDA is currently finalizing the design and partnerships for the initiative. Once completed, the skywalk and cycle track are expected to become a landmark attraction, drawing tourists, morning walkers, and cycling enthusiasts while further boosting Hyderabad’s infrastructure.

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Hyderabad: A software engineer died by suicide in Hyderabad on Saturday, February 1 in his flat under Suraram police limits .

The deceased was identified as 36-year-old T Tejaswaroop Reddy a native of Chittoor Andhra Pradesh. The incident occurred when Reddy was alone at his residence as his wife and children had gone to Kukatpally to meet his in-laws.

Speaking to Siasat.com Suraram police said, “Reddy died by suicide due to financial issues. The reason for the extreme step was mentioned in a suicide note found at the engineer’s residence. A case has been registered under section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanahita (BNSS).”

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Hyderabad: BRS leader and MLC Mohammed Mahmood Ali has heavily criticised Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy over the hardship allegedly being faced by the people of the Old City of Hyderabad.

He held Telangana CM accountable for the alleged hardships.

Mahmood Ali accuses Congress government

Speaking at Telangana Bhavan, Mahmood Ali accused the Congress government of neglecting minorities.

During his address, he highlighted how the Congress had made several commitments but failed to fulfil them.

Mahmood Ali praised former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for introducing various welfare schemes for minorities.

These initiatives included the establishment of minority residential schools, the construction of double-bedroom houses, and the recognition of Urdu as Telangana’s second official language.

He accused Telangana CM of implementing policies similar to those of PM Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah.

Alleged hardship faced by Old City of Hyderabad

Mahmood Ali specifically blamed Revanth Reddy for the alleged hardships faced by residents of Old City due to the demolition of structures along the Musi River.

Furthermore, Ali questioned Revanth Reddy’s secular credentials. He cited his alleged connections with the RSS and his political mentorship under Chandrababu Naidu.

He accused the Congress-led government of mirroring Modi’s governance style.

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Hyderabad: Telangana government is gearing up to auction flats, plots and independent houses in Hyderabad and other district of the state.

According to a report in TOI, the government aims to raise revenue of at least Rs 2000 crore through the auction of the properties from the Rajiv Swagruha Corporation by the end of the current month.

Auction to see legally dispute-free flats, plots, independent houses in Hyderabad

During the auction, only legally dispute-free properties will be made available. The revenue that will be raised from the auction will be utilised for Indiramma housing scheme.

These properties are located in areas such as Bandlaguda, Nagole, Pocharam, Gajularamaram, Jawaharnagar, Khammam, Vikarabad, Kamareddy, and other locations.

Earlier, three committees, each responsible for areas under Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), and other districts, were set up to assess properties.

Recently, they submitted their pricing recommendations to the government.

Details of properties

TOI quoted a senior official at Rajiv Swagruha Corporation providing details of flats, plots and independent houses located in Hyderabad and other districts for auction.

As per the details, there are 760 flats for sale. Out of them 159 are located in Bandlaguda and 601 in Pocharam. There are 1342 open plots of around 350 acres.

These plots are in Chandanagar, Kundanapally, Kawadaipally, Kurmalguda, Bahadurpally, Gajularamaram, Gadwal, Allapur, and Thorrur.

Additionally, there will be 36 unfinished multi-story towers included in the auction.

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