No crime if it is government!
Time and again, celebrities from the movie industry have been appealing to citizens not to watch pirated movies. However, a bunch of journalists gasped when the violation was played out before their eyes while travelling in the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation bus recently on way to Mannanur, Egalapenta and other tourist attractions in Nagarkurnool district.
And it was the two-part blockbuster movie Baahubali, which was played in the State-run bus. The constant whistles, jeering and poor quality of the video made it evident that the video was recorded in a theatre.
The journalists were taken from Hyderabad, as Tourism and Culture Minister V. Srinivas Goud inaugurated Haritha Resorts in Mannanur and Egalapenta. The journalists were surprised that the corporation bus was playing a pirated print of the blockbuster movie starring Prabhas and Rana Daggubati, which was released in 2017. The movie has already been broadcast by several entertainment channels more than thrice a month.
Changing styles of celebration!
Celebrations of birthdays of popular figures in public life, particularly in politics, and greetings by their followers and colleagues has been undergoing a visible change in the recent years. From meeting the personality concerned and greeting him/her with huge garlands or bouquets, it has now transformed to presenting saplings in attractive flower pots. A couple of years back, the then Nizamabad MP K. Kavitha gave a call to women and grown up girls to present helmets to their brothers on the occasion of ‘rakhi’. Now, a huge exercise is planned across the State to take up tree plantation on the occasion of 66th birthday of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. “Planting saplings is good on any occasion but it would be meaningful only if the plants are protected till they reach a safe stage. Otherwise, the whole effort would end up meaningless,” a ruling party leader said.
Discoms ‘powerless’ on tariff decision
It is as good as no hike in power tariff for all categories of consumers for one more year. The power consumers were insulated from tariff hike in the last five years and, the coming year (2020-21), is also likely to go the same way going by recent developments.
The two power distribution companies in the State were supposed to file their annual revenue requirement with the electricity regulator, reflecting their financial health, on Saturday. Instead, they sought time till February 29 to complete the formalities.
Generally, the regulator would require 45 days to peruse the filings and conduct a public hearing on the proposals made by the companies. In view of time constraints due to delay in filings by distribution companies, it is assumed that the tariff for 2020-21 will remain the same as in the current year. The companies were supposed to file their requirements by November 30 but requested the regulator to extend the date as they did not get the Chief Minister’s approval.
Wait for pay revision continues
The agonising wait of the State government employees for the submission of report by the Pay Revision Commission that could lead to announcement of fitment benefit continues.
The commission, constituted on May 24, 2018, was given more than two extensions and its tenure is coming to close on February 24. Though the PRC members are said to be through with finalisation of their recommendations on pay revision related issues, the commission did not submit its report so far owing to the additional terms of reference given to it by the government from time to time.
The latest of these additional terms of reference to study the scope for enhancing the retirement age from 58 to 60 was given early this month thus delaying the work of the commission further and thereby making the employees impatient.
(Abhinay Deshpande, B. Chandrashekhar, N. Rahul and M. Rajeev)
