DEOs, DIET principals Briefed on School Digital Initiatives

Hyderabad: District education officers (DEOs) and DIET principals were briefed about the digital applications implemented by the school education department. School education director Dr. In the program held under the guidance of Naveen Nicholas, officials explained in detail the functioning of applications such as FLN, UDISE-Plus and facial recognition system (FRS). Dr Nicholas noted the successful completion of FRS in public schools. Schools with the highest scores in districts, mandals and schools were rewarded.

Investigate the theft case: Chilkur Balaji priest

Hyderabad: CS Rangarajan, chief priest of Chilkur Balaji temple, said that the Parakamani incident, the theft that took place at the Lord Balaji donation counting area in Tirumala, was a wake-up call and urged the AP government to form a committee to investigate the incident.

Speaking to the media, Rangarajan said that his father Dr. Soundara said Rajan emphasized that all temple offerings should be considered sacred. He said there was a need to reform the management of temple donations and ensure transparency and integrity, especially during the Parakamani process in Tirumala.

“The offerings made by millions of devotees are sacred; they are symbols of faith, not figures of finance. Any misappropriation of such divine wealth is not only a financial crime but also a moral and spiritual betrayal. As the Bhagavad Gita reminds us, ‘stena eva saḥ’ – who takes without just reward is a thief,” said Rangarajan.

It called for technology-driven systems such as automatic counting, full CCTV coverage, RFID-tracked humanitarian boxes, third-party audits and a public transparency portal that displays bulk donation data. Rangarajan also asked people to look at this issue beyond the “TD vs YSRCP vs BJP” templates, but as devotees who now often suffer from such incidents.

PM e-Bus Sewa: Hyderabad will get 2000 buses

Hyderabad: Hyderabad has been allocated e-2,000 buses under the Centre’s target of Net Zero Emission by 2070, PM e-Drive and PM e-Bus Sewa National Movement. These buses will become operational in the city once the state government sets up infrastructure, including warehouses and charging stations.

Delhi has been allocated 2,800 PM e-Buses, Bengaluru 4,500, Ahmedabad 1,000 and Surat 600.

The Union Power Ministry’s Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) has received an overwhelming response to its mega tender for 10,900 electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa programme, according to a press release. “This tender, covering five major metropolitan cities, represents India’s largest ever e-bus procurement initiative. The pre-tender phase witnessed strong participation from leading domestic and international manufacturers. Following detailed clarifications on pre-tender queries, CESL extended the bidding deadline to November 2025 and bid opening is scheduled for November 6,” CESL said in its statement.

Private colleges threaten to close from November 3 due to tuition fees

Hyderabad: Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI) has announced that all private higher education institutions, including engineering colleges, will close from November 3 if fee refund charges are not paid by November 1.

FATHI, which held an emergency general meeting on Sunday, demanded that the government release the pending fee dues of ₹ 900 crore by November 1. The Federation said that out of the promised 1,200 crore, only Rs 300 crore is available so far before being disbursed for Dasara and Diwali.

Private colleges have demanded collection of Rs 9,000 crore in dues by the academic year 2024-25, with a roadmap defined to ensure full payment by March 31, 2026. The colleges have asked the government to prepare a defined roadmap for the announcement of repayment for the current academic year, ensuring that all payments are completed before June 30, 2026.

The Federation appealed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to take note of the situation and provide timely resolution for the benefit of thousands of institutions, staff and students. Colleges have asked the government to issue clear guidelines for new AICTE approved courses, whose NoCs have been pending for several months. This will allow institutions to apply for these courses for at least the next academic year, the colleges added.