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TDP Mahanadu: Chandrababu Naidu gives ‘Quit Jagan, save Andhra Pradesh’ slogan

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Telugu Desam Party’s annual conclave Mahanadu began here on Friday with the party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu giving a call “Quit Jagan, save Andhra Pradesh”.

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day conclave, the former chief minister termed Y. S. Jaga Mohan Reddy-led government a “curse” and called upon people to throw it out of power.

Setting the tone for deliberations, Naidu launched a bitter attack on YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for its “misrule” and the “havoc” it created by letting loose “repression” during the last three years.

He called the YSRCP government a rule by “maniacs, liars and corrupt criminals”. The TDP chief said with maniacs in power, the state has lost its honour and dignity.

He described Jagan Mohan Reddy as an “inefficient leader” who has been presiding over a rule by maniacs, liars and hardcore corrupt criminals.

The TDP chief asserted that if Jagan Reddy would not quit politics, AP would not see good and happy days again. All sections should unitedly raise the slogan of “Quit Jagan” so as to save Andhra Pradesh from future destruction, he said.

He alleged that the Jagan government is crushing people with its betrayal in the name of welfare, all-round looting and unbearable taxes. He said the YSRCP government made the state bankrupt with Rs 8 lakh crore debts.

Naidu alleged that YSRCP is inefficient to rule the state and hence it was using police to book false cases against those questioning its misrule. He appealed to all police personnel from constable to Director General of Police not to become tools in the hands of maniacs.

With the party holding its Mahanadu after a gap of three years, Naidu through his speech tried to lift the spirits of the party cadres.

Naidu urged party cadres to continue working the same spirit for next two years and go to people with the slogan of “Quit Jagan, save Andhra Pradesh”.

Stating that TDP has a glorious history of 40 years, Naidu vowed to build young leadership to take the party forward over the next 40 years.

The TDP chief said the chief minister signed “fake MoUs” at Davos with the same companies that worked under the TDP rule. The agreement with Adani Data Centre was signed during the TDP rule but Jagan Reddy cancelled the same and signed a more or less similar MoU with that company at Davos now.

Over 12,000 TDP leaders from across the state are attending the conclave which will pass 17 resolutions on various subjects.

The TDP organises “Mahanadu” every year in May, coinciding with the birth anniversary of party founder and former chief minister N. T. Rama Rao.

After the TDP debacle in the 2019 elections, Mahanadu was not conducted. The annual conclave was conducted in a virtual mode in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The TDP completed its 40 years in March this year. It was on March 29, 1982 that N. T. Rama Rao, a popular Telugu actor, formed the TDP on the slogan of Telugu self-respect.

NTR, as he was popularly called, created a record of sorts by coming to power within nine months of forming the party.

He died in January 1996, a few months after his son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu led a revolt against him to become the chief minister of then undivided Andhra Pradesh. Naidu-led TDP to power in 1999 and remained chief minister till 2004, when Congress wrested the power.

After bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, TDP formed the first government in the residuary state. In 2019, the party lost power to YSRCP.

National News

Delhi CM’s heat action plan: 3000 water ATMs, cooling shelters, ‘Aapda Mitras’

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New Delhi, April 21: Activating the disaster management machinery and proposing 3,000 cold water ATMs, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday unveiled Heat Action Plan (2025), promising to collectively offer respite to people in sweltering heat.

Apart from involving 1,800 National and Delhi Disaster Response volunteers or ‘Aapda Mitras’, the plan talks of setting up shaded, cooling shelters, opening 3,000-4,000 large water RO units attached to boundary walls of Delhi government schools and office buildings to dispense cold water round-the-clock for five lakh citizens.

It also proposes setting up 3,000 water ATMs for the public on PWD roads — near bus stops and traffic intersections.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the national capital’s seasons are often associated with civic woes — water shortage in summer, pollution in winter and waterlogging in monsoon — but her government would ensure citizens can enjoy every season without trouble.

Repeating her government’s commitment to offer relief to heat-struck people, CM Gupta said under the Heat Action Plan, 3000 water coolers or ATMs would be installed — 1,000 on public roads, 1000 in government buildings and 1,000 in the rural belt.

“We will also seek help from private entities under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives,” she said.

The Chief Minister said the Delhi government will regularly issue heat alerts through SMS and social media for the public to take precautions.

Besides special heatwave wards in hospitals, Aapda Mitras will also be deputed for anti-heat actions in slums.

“Every life is precious for the nation and the city, and we are committed to saving it,” she said, suggesting measures to help even animals.

Earlier, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma said the Delhi government is going to prove its commitment to public welfare through its actions and not just announcements.

He said the Delhi government has already launched GPS-linked water tankers to meet the summer crisis and initiated the introduction of new heat-resistant, cool roofs for government buildings, and the experiment will be expanded gradually.

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National News

Civil servants’ role crucial in achieving Viksit Bharat, says PM Modi on Civil Services Day

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New Delhi, April 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the 17th Civil Services Day programme in the national capital, lauding the relentless efforts of India’s civil servants and underlining their key role in realising the dream of a ‘Viksit Bharat.’

Speaking at Vigyan Bhawan, PM Modi paid rich tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, recalling his iconic 1947 address in which he called civil servants the “steel frame” of India.

“This Civil Services Day is special for several reasons. We are celebrating 75 years of our Constitution and the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. On April 21, 1947, he had described you (civil servants) as the steel frame of India,” he said.

Reflecting on Patel’s vision, the Prime Minister said, “He laid out the ideals of a civil servant — one who serves the nation with honesty, discipline, democratic spirit, and dedication. These lessons of Sardar Patel become even more relevant as we move towards the resolution of Viksit Bharat.”

PM Modi said that achieving the dream of a Viksit Bharat will require every arm of progress to work in synergy.

“Our bureaucracy and policy-making cannot function with outdated methods when the world is evolving so quickly. Our young generation is growing up with rapid technological changes, new gadgets every two to three years. We must match this pace,” he stated.

Highlighting areas where India must grow — from clean energy to sports and space — the Prime Minister stressed, “Everyone is looking towards you (civil servants). You have a big responsibility to help India become the world’s third-largest economy. We must work together to ensure this goal is achieved.”

This year’s theme for Civil Services Day is ‘Holistic Development of India,’ which the Prime Minister explained as “no village left behind, no family left behind.”

He also presented the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration, recognising top-performing officials behind initiatives like PM Vishwakarma, Poshan Tracker, Siksha Setu Axom, and Sugamya Pustakalaya.

“Good governance is not defined by the number of schemes but by the impact it creates on the ground,” he said. Citing examples, he mentioned districts where solar power and improved attendance systems have shown positive results and praised the efforts of public administrators across the country.

He added that in the last decade, India has moved beyond incremental progress to transformative change.

“Today, India’s governance model focuses on next-generation reforms. Through technology and innovation, we’re bridging the gap between government and citizens. These changes are visible not only in urban and rural areas but also in remote corners of the country,” he said.

PM Modi cited Bhagalpur in Bihar, where the registration of pregnant women in Jagdishpur block rose from 25 per cent to over 90 per cent. In Marwah block of Jammu and Kashmir, institutional deliveries increased from 30 per cent to 100 per cent, reflecting improved healthcare access.

Touching upon India’s global leadership, the Prime Minister highlighted the scale of its G20 presidency. “For the first time in G20 history, more than 200 meetings took place across over 60 cities, creating a wide and inclusive footprint. This is the holistic approach of today’s India,” he said, adding, “India is not just participating — India is leading.”

He noted that while many now talk about government efficiency, India is already ahead of other countries by a decade. “We have eliminated delays and are creating new processes. Over 40,000 compliances have been removed to boost ease of doing business,” he said.

The Prime Minister recalled early opposition to reforms, including compliance reduction and decriminalisation of business errors.

He said that the foundation laid over the past decade has greatly strengthened the path towards Viksit Bharat 2047.

“We cannot evaluate our work or performance by comparing it to previous governments…We must set our own benchmarks. We need to measure how far we still are from the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047’. The time for tallying up what we have achieved so far is over.

“India is now the most populous country in the world. Ensuring saturation of basic facilities should be our top priority,” the Prime Minister added.

“In the last ten years, we built 4 crore (40 million) permanent houses for the poor, but now we have a target of building 3 crore more. We have provided tap water connections to 12 crore homes in 5–6 years. Now, we must ensure every household has access to tap water as soon as possible. In ten years, we have built over 11 crore toilets for the poor. Now, we need to quickly achieve new targets related to waste management,” he mentioned.

He also launched two e-books — Holistic Development of Districts and Select Innovations — and honoured top-performing districts in schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojana, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, Har Ghar Jal, and PM Awas Yojana.

Awarded districts included Rajkot in Gujarat, Gomti in Tripura, Tinsukia in Assam, Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, and Koraput in Odisha.

Blocks recognised under the Aspirational Block Programme included Gamharia (Jharkhand), Parappa (Kerala), Narnoor (Telangana), Ganganagar (Tripura), and Rama (Madhya Pradesh).

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Crime

Karni Sena national vice president shot dead in Jamshedpur, supporters block highway in protest

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Jamshedpur, April 21: Vinay Kumar Singh, the national vice president of Karni Sena and Jharkhand state president, was shot dead in Jamshedpur late Sunday night, triggering widespread outrage among his supporters, police officials said on Monday.

Singh, 46, was a resident of Aastha Space Township in Mango, Jamshedpur.

According to his family, he had left home on Sunday afternoon for work related to land dealings but did not return by evening. A search was launched, and around 11 p.m., his body was found in a bush off a dirt road, approximately 500 meters from NH-33 (Tata-Ranchi Road).

He had bullet wounds to the head and multiple injuries on his body, police said.

Police reached the spot shortly after receiving information. A scooty, a mobile phone, and a pistol were recovered from the scene.

Family members have alleged that the pistol was planted near his hand to mislead investigators, insisting Singh had no criminal background or links to weapons.

Singh also owned a tile shop near the Ulidih police station and was said to be active in land-related business. Sources said he had received threats a few months ago.

News of the murder spread rapidly, prompting Karni Sena members and supporters to block Dimna Chowk and NH-33 in protest. They demanded immediate arrest of those responsible and threatened a larger agitation if swift action was not taken.

Protesters also slammed the police for the delay in dispatching an ambulance to transport Singh’s body.

The blockade was lifted around 1 a.m. in the night after the ambulance arrived and the body was sent for post-mortem.

Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the murder. DSP Bachan Deo Kujur said all angles are being examined and assured that the perpetrators will be brought to justice soon.

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