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Welfare hostels in SPSR Nellore district are set for a major transformation under the district administration’s ‘Vidya–Vasathi–Vikasam’ initiative, aimed at improving infrastructure, digital learning facilities and living conditions. The programme covers 155 welfare hostels and residential institutions serving nearly 19,000 students from SC, ST, BC, tribal and minority communities.Launched by district collector Himanshu Shukla, the initiative seeks to turn welfare hostels and residential institutions into more supportive and dignified spaces where students can study, live and develop their skills. The initiative focuses on upgrading basic amenities such as dormitories, dining halls, sanitation facilities and study areas, besides introducing modern learning resources. Computer laboratories and multimedia facilities are planned to help students gain digital skills and reduce the technology gap between children in welfare institutions and their peers in urban areas.The programme also seeks to give greater attention to students’ overall development, including nutrition, personal hygiene, sports, personality development and a conducive academic environment.The initiative has received a significant boost from philanthropists and corporate donors, with voluntary contributions reaching nearly Rs 5 crore.

NELLORE: The impact of El Niño, which has been causing heat and deficient rainfall conditions, is now being felt in the power sector as electricity consumption has increased sharply in Kadapa and Nellore districts due to deficit rainfall and the El Niño effect raising the temperatures. There are 9,20,477 electricity connections across the Kadapa, Mydukur, Proddatur, Pulivendula, and Rajampet divisions covering domestic, commercial, industrial, agriculture sectors, besides government utilities. The district normally consumes around 15 million units (MU) of electricity a day, but consumption has now increased to 17 MU. Between September 1 and 10 this year, consumption stood at 161 MU, compared with 125 MU during the corresponding period last year. Of Kadapa’s 40 mandals, 27 have recorded rainfall below 50 per cent of normal, while 13 have reported a deficit of more than 50 per cent. The groundwater level has fallen from 10.11 metres last year to 13.58 metres this year Officials attributed the increase largely to the growing use of air conditioners, coolers, and fans as daytime temperatures have risen to around 36 degrees Celsius.

The National Lok Adalat settled around 22,500 cases across Nellore district on Saturday, involving recoveries of approximately Rs 6 crore, according to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA). The Lok Adalat was held under the guidance of DLSA chairman and District Principal Judge Justice A. Narasimha Murthy and DLSA secretary and senior civil judge Justice Y.J. Padmasri. As many as 24 benches, including 10 in Nellore, were constituted to facilitate the speedy settlement of pending disputes.A motor accident case was among the settlements. United India Insurance Company handed over a cheque for Rs 74 lakh to the wife and children of the deceased through District Judge Narasimha Murthy. In another settlement, Bhavitha Naidu and Veera Naidu, both B.Tech graduates, who had approached the Family Court for divorce, were counselled along with their relatives. The couple reconciled and reunited by exchanging garlands in the presence of the court and family members.

Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy has criticised the alleged attempts by former YSRCP minister Anil Kumar Yadav to orchestrate discord and create divisions within the ruling party ahead of the local body and civic polls.Addressing a press conference in Nellore on Wednesday, Kotamreddy objected to what he described as Anil Yadav’s smear campaign against Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, alleging that the former minister had levelled a series of false allegations against him in connection with mining operations in the district. “Both Vemireddy and his wife and I left the YSRCP and joined the TDP ahead of the 2024 general elections. Even when Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy was still in the YSRCP, Anil Yadav had differences with him and held a grudge against him. It is because of this very reason that Anil Yadav has been levelling baseless allegations against Vemireddy,” Kotamreddy observed.