Hyderabad: Minister Adluri Lakshman Kumar marked his first official engagement after assuming charge, by having A midday meal with students of the Girls’ Social Welfare Gurukul College at Gowlidoddi on Saturday. Addressing the students, the minister reaffirmed the Revanth Reddy government’s commitment to education.He expressed hope that the next academic year would see double the success in competitive exams. He also reviewed the innovative ‘Phone Mitra’ initiative, which allows students to call their parents using a swipe card linked to their student ID. The minister interacted with a parent through the system and received positive feedback on the emotional support it provides. The visit was attended by Dr V.S. Alagu Varsini, secretary of TGSWREIS, Chevella MLA Kale Yadaiah and other officials.Haj 2026 pilgrims told to ready passportsPilgrims intending to perform Haj in 2026 have been advised to keep their passports ready to meet specific requirements. Telangana Haj Committee chairman Syed Afzal Biyabani (Khusro Pasha) urged applicants to ensure their passports are machine-readable and valid at least until December 31, 2026. He said the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah has released preliminary documents for Haj 2026 and initiated groundwork. In line with this, the official notification and online applications are likely to begin in the third week of July. Based on the Nusuk Masar Portal, Haj 2025 applicants applying for fresh passports are advised not to leave the surname or last name field blank. Meanwhile, six batches have returned after completing the Haj pilgrimage, comprising around 1,600 pilgrims. A total of 24 flights are scheduled to arrive by July 9.5-day BC handicrafts expo for Bonalu: PonnamBC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Saturday announced that a “BC handicrafts exhibition” will be held for five days from June 25 to 29 to mark Bonalu. The exhibition will be held at the HMDA Grounds beside the Ambedkar statue and will feature products made by artisans from various communities for sale. Items on display and for sale will include pottery by traditional potters, a ‘Neera’ stall by the Goud community, bamboo products and handlooms from Pochampally, Ikkat, Gadwal and Narayanpet. Telangana cuisine, including fish and other traditional dishes, will also be featured through food stalls at the event. GHMC shifts 27 town planning staff amid allegationsThe Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Saturday transferred 13 assistant city planners (ACPs) and 14 section officers (SOs) from its town planning wing. The move follows reports published in Deccan Chronicle on June 20. The transfers are linked to allegations of corruption, failure to discharge duties efficiently and complaints related to illegal constructions, many of which surfaced during the weekly Prajavani programme. “The reason for each transfer varies, but the overall aim is to bring more transparency to the wing,” said a GHMC official at the head office. While some ACPs from urban local bodies across the state have been posted to the GHMC, a few SOs were promoted and posted as ACPs by transferring the incumbents to districts. For instance, the ACP of Serilingampally circle was replaced by an official from Tandur municipality. Irregularities in GHMC’s town planning wing have included cases where ground-level staff, in collusion with local leaders and self-proclaimed activists or social workers, used court cases to pressure builders—especially those who refused to pay bribes. In such cases, construction would be halted until the builder negotiated with the so-called activist or GHMC officials to get the case withdrawn. Such practices have been reported in Begumpet circle, where groups routinely visit the town planning office in the Secunderabad zonal office to demand the demolition of selected buildings. In LB Nagar circle, there have been instances where staffers seized material worth `1,000, took photographs and misled the deputy commissioner, only to allow the illegal construction to resume the next day so that it could be completed quickly.
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