2026

Cyber Fraudsters Loot ₹30-50 Crore Through Fake ‘QVSE’ Trading App in Andhra Pradesh

Cybercriminals have duped hundreds of residents across Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR), Anakapalli, and Kakinada districts through a fraudulent investment application called "QVSE." Operating like a classic Ponzi scheme, the fraudsters targeted tribal, rural, and semi-urban communities by promising unusually high and guaranteed profits within short periods on small to medium investments. Victims were convinced to deposit between ₹50,000 and ₹3 lakh, which the app falsely showed as converted into digital "dollars." To simulate genuine financial activity, the fraudsters created private chat groups on the "BonChat" messaging platform, where they shared specific trading codes twice daily-at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM. Users were instructed to enter these signals into the app to log dummy profits, while actual withdrawals were routed through the Binance cryptocurrency exchange to mask the destination of the stolen funds. Police estimate that the gang swindled between ₹30 crore and ₹50 crore before users found their accounts frozen and withdrawals blocked. The ASR district police have issued an urgent advisory asking the public to stay away from unverified online trading schemes. Authorities have asked victims to report incidents immediately at their nearest police stations or call the national cybercrime helpline at 1930, while screenshots of the scam's chat groups and app screens are being circulated widely to prevent further exploitation.

9 September 2026

National Poshan Maah Kicks Off in Eluru and West Godavari to Promote Child and Maternal Health

A month-long nutrition drive under the National Poshan Maah (Poshana Masotsavalu) began on September 9 across Eluru and West Godavari districts and will continue until October 8. Organized through local Anganwadi centres, the campaign aims to tackle malnutrition and raise widespread awareness about healthy eating habits among rural and semi-urban communities, focusing primarily on pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. As part of the daily activities, Anganwadi workers are demonstrating practical ways to prepare healthy, millet-based snacks-such as murukulu and jowar (jonna) cakes-using low-cost, locally available grains. The campaign places a spotlight on the critical "first 1,000 days of life," which spans from conception through a child's second birthday. Health workers are educating families on how proper maternal diet and early childhood feeding during this window prevent stunting, anemia, and developmental delays. The month-long drive also marks 10 years of the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), a financial assistance program for expectant and lactating mothers. Officials from the Women and Child Welfare Department are utilizing this period to actively enroll unregistered pregnant women across all mandals, ensuring that every eligible beneficiary receives their statutory financial aid and nutrition support without administrative delays.

9 September 2026

Lemon Prices Double in Nellore Belt as Gudur Market Sees Rates Hit ₹200 per Kg

Lemon prices have surged sharply across the Nellore belt in Andhra Pradesh, with retail and wholesale rates nearly doubling to around ₹200 per kilogram. The steep price hike has been centered around the Gudur wholesale market, recognized as one of Asia’s largest trading hubs for lemons, where arrivals have dropped sharply in recent weeks. The dramatic increase has been triggered by a combination of severe local weather and seasonal consumption spikes. Scorching heatwaves severely affected orchards across the region, reducing flowering and causing a sharp drop in overall crop yields. At the same time, the arrival of the auspicious month of Shravan has driven up consumer demand for temple rituals, religious ceremonies, and daily household use, creating a severe supply-demand mismatch in the market. With wholesale arrivals remaining scarce, the impact is being felt heavily by retail consumers and small food vendors, who are now paying steep prices for single lemons. Traders in the region anticipate that lemon prices are likely to remain elevated until the festival peak eases and fresh harvests begin reaching the wholesale yards.

9 September 2026

Andhra Pradesh Govt Launches Generic Pharmacy Scheme for BC Youth: ₹4 Lakh Subsidy to Set Up Medical Stores in Every Mandal

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has introduced a targeted self-employment scheme to help educated, unemployed youth from Backward Classes (BC) establish generic medical shops across the state. Under this initiative, the total setup cost for each retail pharmacy unit is fixed at approximately ₹8 lakh. To ease the initial financial burden on young entrepreneurs, the state government provides a direct subsidy of 50 percent (₹4 lakh), while facilitating bank tie-ups to arrange the remaining ₹4 lakh as a soft business loan. This financial framework enables qualified pharmacists to launch a fully equipped commercial retail outlet without needing large upfront personal capital. To qualify for the scheme, applicants must belong to the BC community in Andhra Pradesh, hold Below Poverty Line (BPL) status, and fall within the 21 to 60 age group. Candidates must hold a recognized degree or diploma in pharmacy-such as D.Pharm, B.Pharm, or M.Pharm-and have active registration with the Pharmacy Council. Additionally, applicants must secure suitable commercial space (either owned or rented) equipped with adequate storage and refrigeration to preserve medicines according to standard state drug licensing regulations. The program addresses both unemployment and rural healthcare affordability across Andhra Pradesh. By helping qualified pharmacists launch independent retail units in every mandal, the initiative ensures that essential maintenance and life-saving generic medicines are readily accessible at 50 to 80 percent lower prices than branded equivalents. This wide network of stores will create steady livelihoods for local youth while delivering meaningful financial relief to rural, lower-income, and middle-class families managing ongoing medical treatments.

9 September 2026

CM Chandrababu Naidu Distributes Passbooks Under ‘Mee Bhoomi-Mee Hakku’ at Panduvaaripeta

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu participated in a Gram Sabha at Panduvaaripeta village in the P. Gannavaram constituency on September 9 to personally hand over pattadar passbooks to local landowners under the "Mee Bhoomi - Mee Hakku" initiative. The program is designed to resolve land disputes, provide clear ownership titles, and deliver updated official property records directly to farmers and rural families. The state-wide land record verification and documentation drive has made substantial progress over the past nine months. Since January, the government has distributed more than 36 lakh pattadar passbooks across 8,234 villages throughout Andhra Pradesh. Continuing this rollout, authorities have prepared approximately 4 lakh additional passbooks for handover this month, covering 783 more villages to provide farmers with tamper-free and legally secure proof of their agricultural holdings.

9 September 2026

AP Govt Backs ₹500 Crore Loan for State Power Sector

The Andhra Pradesh government has stepped in to help the Andhra Pradesh Power Finance Corporation Limited (APPFCL) secure a ₹500 crore loan from Punjab & Sind Bank. Through an official order issued by the state energy department, the government has provided a full financial guarantee to the bank's Hyderabad branch, paving the way for the corporation to access the funds immediately. This ₹500 crore will be channeled directly into the state's power network. The money will be lent to state utilities that produce electricity, manage major transmission grids, and run local distribution lines, helping ensure smooth operations, uninterrupted power supply, and better upkeep of electrical infrastructure across towns and villages. Under the terms set by the government, the state guarantee covers both the principal loan and interest for the entire repayment period. However, the loan is not a direct government payout-APPFCL must repay the debt using its own operational revenues, and the state will only step in if the corporation defaults. As part of the agreement, APPFCL will also pay a 0.5 percent commission to the state finance department for providing the guarantee.

9 September 2026

8th Pay Commission: Pensioners Urge Centre to Include Pre-2026 Retirees in Pension Hike Rules

The Retired Employees Welfare Association (REWA), an organization representing central government pensioners, has asked the central government to amend the official Terms of Reference (ToR) for the upcoming 8th Central Pay Commission. The association wants the government to clearly state in the guidelines that the commission must revise both regular pensions and family pensions for all staff who retired before January 1, 2026. REWA explained that without explicit instructions in the terms, past retirees often face confusion and risk missing out on equal pension increases and fitment benefits compared to active employees and future retirees. Emphasizing that elderly pensioners struggle with steep healthcare expenses and high everyday living costs, the association urged the Ministry of Finance to guarantee equal pension revisions for all pre-2026 retirees and family pensioners alongside working staff.

9 September 2026

UK Airport Chaos: Over 1,000 Flights Cancelled and Thousands Stranded After Major Air Traffic Control Failure

Severe travel disruption has paralyzed the United Kingdom’s aviation network following a major technical failure in the country's national air traffic control system. More than 1,000 flights to, from, and within the UK have been cancelled, while 15 major airports-including London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, and Edinburgh-reported massive delays. The failure left tens of thousands of passengers stranded inside crowded terminals across the UK and at international departure gates across Europe and beyond. The crisis began when the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) experienced an automated flight planning system failure. The glitch prevented controllers from receiving flight plans digitally, forcing staff to switch to slow, manual data entry. To maintain air safety, authorities placed immediate restrictions on the number of aircraft allowed into British airspace, triggering an immediate bottleneck that rapidly cascaded across airlines, international transit schedules, and runway slots. The disruption has left airport concourses packed with stranded passengers facing missing baggage, cancelled connections, and long queues for customer service. With planes and flight crews displaced across different international hubs, airline operators warned that knock-on delays and cancellations will take days to clear, even after systems are restored to normal operation. NATS issued an official apology for the widespread chaos, confirming that engineers identified and resolved the technical issue that compromised flight-data processing. Aviation regulators, government transport officials, and airlines are working to clear the backlog, while passenger rights groups urge airlines to provide food, accommodation, and alternative transport for affected travelers under consumer protection regulations.

9 September 2026

US Halts Cognizant's Green Card Filings Over Visa Fraud Probe, Putting Thousands of Tech Workers in Limbo

The United States Department of Labor has suspended Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) applications for IT services giant Cognizant and software company Cloudera. PERM is the mandatory first step that companies must complete to sponsor foreign workers on H-1B visas for permanent residency (Green Cards). This ban is part of a nationwide federal investigation into employment visa fraud that began in July, conducted alongside the White House Fraud Task Force. The freeze directly impacts Cognizant’s US workforce of more than 40,000 people, where thousands of foreign professionals-predominantly Indian software engineers-are waiting for their Green Card processing. Under US immigration rules, an H-1B visa normally expires after six years unless an employer successfully files a PERM application and gets an approved I-140 petition to extend the stay. Because Cognizant is barred from submitting any new PERM applications until the federal probe ends, employees nearing their six-year limit face severe uncertainty and could be forced to leave the country if their status runs out. Federal authorities have issued strict warnings over the inquiry. The Labor Department's Inspector General made it clear that threats to American jobs will not be tolerated, stating that investigators are following financial trails and that arrests remain on the table. This crackdown comes shortly after another major legal blow to Cognizant, where a federal jury found the company guilty in a class-action discrimination lawsuit. In that case, the jury found that Cognizant had systematically benched and fired hundreds of non-South Asian and domestic American employees to replace them with foreign H-1B visa holders. While workers with previously approved PERM certificates are not immediately affected, the block on new filings hurts Cognizant’s ability to retain talent for its US corporate clients. The move has also created panic across the broader Indian IT outsourcing sector, as major firms such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and HCLTech rely on the exact same visa processes to run their operations in the United States and now face the risk of tighter regulatory scrutiny.

8 September 2026

Global Oil Surges Past $99 on Middle East Escalation, Pressuring Rupee and Import Bills

Global benchmark Brent crude oil has climbed past $99 a barrel for the first time since late July, triggered by escalating military strikes between the United States and Iran, attacks on regional energy infrastructure, and mounting shipping disruptions in the vital Strait of Hormuz. With commercial oil tanker traffic slowing down through this critical maritime choke point and global fuel inventories running thin, energy markets are increasingly worried that crude prices could soon break past the $100 barrier. This sudden price jump brings immediate financial stress for India, which depends on overseas imports for more than 85% of its crude oil requirements. Every $10 rise in global crude prices expands the nation's import bill and trade deficit by an estimated $12 to $14 billion. This steep outflow weakens the Indian rupee against the US dollar and raises the overall cost of imported goods, setting off fresh domestic inflation across aviation fuel, plastics, and industrial feedstocks.

8 September 2026

Major Blow to YSRCP in North Andhra: Botsa Satyanarayana’s Nephew Majji Srinivasa Rao Joins TDP

Former Vizianagaram Zilla Parishad Chairman Majji Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as Chinna Srinu and the nephew of senior YSRCP leader Botsa Satyanarayana, has formally joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh officially welcomed him and his daughter into the party by draping them with the party’s yellow scarf in Amaravati. Before the induction, Srinivasa Rao sent his formal resignation letter to YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, stepping down as the Vizianagaram District YSRCP President, Bheemili constituency coordinator, and from the party's primary membership. Following his exit, a significant group of his loyalist mandal leaders, municipal councillors, and Zilla Parishad members also resigned from the YSRCP to join the ruling alliance. The departure stems from growing differences between Srinivasa Rao and his maternal uncle Botsa Satyanarayana over party control, constituency responsibilities, and future political planning. With local body elections on the horizon, disagreements regarding leadership opportunities and a clear political path for his daughter led Srinivasa Rao to sever his long-standing ties with the YSRCP. For decades, the Botsa family stood as a united political powerhouse in Vizianagaram. Chinna Srinu’s exit fractures that traditional family stronghold, dealing a sharp organizational blow to the YSRCP while significantly boosting the TDP’s grassroots network across Vizianagaram and neighboring rural areas ahead of the upcoming local body elections.

8 September 2026

Causing Distress to Others in the Name of Lord Ganesha is a Grave Sin: Brahmasri Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma

Renowned spiritual scholar Brahmasri Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma has issued an earnest appeal to festival organizers and youth ahead of Vinayaka Chavithi, urging them to preserve the sanctity of the celebration and stop turning it into a source of public torment. Emphasizing that festivals in Sanatana Dharma are designed to bring peace, joy, and spiritual elevation to society, he expressed profound anguish over the widespread nuisance caused in neighborhoods. He pointed out the stark contradiction of worshipping Lord Vighneshwara-the divine remover of obstacles-while deliberately subjecting fellow human beings to severe obstacles and distress. Condemning the widespread use of deafening DJ sound walls and high-decibel speakers, Samavedam asserted that chaotic noise pollution has no connection to authentic devotion. He urged organizers to consider the immense suffering inflicted upon heart patients, the elderly, hospital patients, infants, and students preparing for examinations who are robbed of rest and peace day and night. Citing the foundational scriptural dictum "Paropakaraya punyaya, papaya parapidanam"-which states that helping others earns merit, while causing misery to others is a sin-he warned that depriving neighbors of sleep and tormenting the sick under the guise of religious worship brings spiritual demerit rather than divine grace. He also voiced sharp indignation over the playing of vulgar film numbers and item songs accompanied by indecent dancing directly in front of the consecrated idol of Lord Ganesha. Describing such vulgarity as an outright sacrilege against the deity, he stressed that an unrighteous display does not please God and will only invite divine displeasure. Devotion, he noted, must be conducted with sattvic purity, filled with Vedic chanting, Atharvashirsha recitations, and peaceful bhajans rather than commercial street revelry. Calling for a return to traditional decorum, Samavedam appealed to the youth and pandal committees to exercise maturity and cultural restraint. He urged them to stop coercive donation collections, avoid barricading public roads to disrupt vehicular traffic, and celebrate Vinayaka Chavithi in strict accordance with scriptural norms and civic responsibility, ensuring that not a single living being is harmed or inconvenienced in the name of worship.

8 September 2026

"Don't Fall for Political Temptations or Street Protests," Home Minister Anitha Tells Police Aspirants

In a video statement released from Mangalagiri on Wednesday, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha directly addressed police constable aspirants against the backdrop of recent street agitations and rallies that erupted across parts of the state, including Kakinada. The Home Minister urged the candidates not to succumb to political temptations, provocations, or outside instigations. She warned that individuals preparing to enforce law and order must not take the law into their own hands or stage unauthorized road blockades, as such actions would only invite criminal cases and ruin their bright futures. She also called upon the aspirants to engage in self-reflection and objectively evaluate past records to determine which government genuinely provided police recruitments and which political regime caused recruitment droughts. Launching a sharp critique against the previous YSRCP administration led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Anitha stated that not a single constable post was formally recruited and inducted during the entire five-year tenure between 2019 and 2024. She alleged that the previous government merely issued a notification for approximately 6,000 posts and then abandoned the process, leaving candidates stranded in uncertainty and legal hurdles for years. Contrasting this with the actions of the current NDA coalition government, the Minister highlighted that immediately after taking office in 2024, the administration resolved all administrative and court bottlenecks to clear and complete the recruitment process for those stalled 6,000 vacancies. She also reminded aspirants that the government has enhanced the stipend for trainee police constables to ₹12,000 per month to support them during academy training. Furthermore, she recalled that between 2014 and 2019, the previous Telugu Desam regime had successfully recruited 9,793 personnel across various wings of the police department. Laying out the roadmap for future employment, Anitha reaffirmed the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government's commitment to conducting recruitments every year through an official Job Calendar, rather than through irregular, ad-hoc notifications. She stated that the government is preparing to fill approximately 11,000 police posts annually in a phased and predictable manner. In her final message to the candidates, the Home Minister urged them to step away from street protests and instead concentrate their energy on physical conditioning and competitive exam preparation. She gave a strong assurance that the government will not allow any injustice to happen to unemployed youth.

8 September 2026

Bank Employees to Strike on September 11 Over Pending Demands

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has called a nationwide bank strike on September 11, 2026, after talks with the Indian Banks' Association on September 4 failed to resolve their demands. UFBU, made up of seven unions, says it represents over 90% of employees across public, private, foreign, and cooperative banks. The union says the strike is happening because its demands have been pending for a long time. Since the strike falls on a Friday, followed by the weekend, and September 14 is also a holiday in some states for Ganesh Chaturthi, banking work could be disrupted for four days in a row in many parts of the country. Public sector banks will be affected the most, while online and mobile banking are expected to keep working normally. The main reason behind the strike is the delay in implementing a five-day work week, which the IBA already agreed to back in March 2024. Under that plan, employees would work slightly longer hours from Monday to Friday in exchange for all Saturdays off. Unions are also unhappy with the government's new performance-linked incentive scheme, saying it's unfair, since senior officers can get bonuses equal to a full year's salary while junior officers get only 15 days' pay. Long-pending pension issues are also part of their demands. If these issues aren't resolved, unions have already announced a three-day strike from September 28 to 30, and an indefinite strike starting October 26. Several banks, including Bank of India, have already informed stock exchanges about the strike notices. While they say they'll try to keep branches running smoothly, they've also warned that services could be affected if the strike goes ahead.

8 September 2026

AP Launches "Mee-Mart" Retail Stores to Rival D-Mart, CM to Inaugurate 1,000 Outlets on October 1

In a major overhaul of the state's public distribution system, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar has announced the launch of "Mee-Mart" retail stores designed to compete with large supermarket chains like D-Mart. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the first 1,000 stores on October 1, 2026, as part of a plan to convert the state's roughly 29,750 ration shops into modern outlets offering everyday essentials at discounted prices. The stores are being built as a public-sector alternative to low-cost private supermarkets. While the pilot in Guntur started with just 60 to 64 essential items, the network will expand to over 250 branded and unbranded products, including edible oils, pulses, spices, packaged foods, and personal care items. Prices will be kept ₹3 to ₹5 below open-market rates, with premium Sona Masoori/BPT rice selling at ₹50-52 per kg, compared to over ₹64 in the open market, and onions priced at ₹32 per kg to help control price spikes. Supplies will be sourced through a partnership with the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), cutting out middlemen margins. A key goal of the initiative is to fix the long-standing financial struggles of ration shop dealers, who have traditionally survived on thin commissions from rice and sugar sales, a system that often led to grain diversion and black-marketing. By turning ration shops into multi-product stores, the government aims to give dealers a steady, diversified income. The stores will feature modern shopfronts, electronic billing systems, and digital payment options, with future plans to integrate with the RBI's Digital Rupee system. While the pilot in Guntur district, including areas like Lalupuram and Prathipadu, received a positive response from customers, scaling up to 1,000 stores by October 1 comes with challenges. Many traditional dealers operate out of small shops and may lack the capital needed to stock a full retail inventory. Private players like D-Mart rely on highly automated warehouses and just-in-time delivery systems, so for Mee-Marts to earn customer trust, the Civil Supplies Corporation and NCCF will need to ensure uninterrupted supply across both rural and urban areas. After the October 1 launch, the department plans to expand Mee-Marts in phases across all urban and rural areas of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.

8 September 2026

GVMC Speeds Up ₹40 Crore Slum Redevelopment, 177 Families to Get Free Flats in Velampeta

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation has accelerated work on a ₹40 crore slum redevelopment project at Velampeta Lakshmi Nagar, deploying round-the-clock crews to prepare the site for 177 low-income families to receive permanent, free apartments on their own land. Following an inspection by GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg, officials were directed to complete hut clearance and site-levelling on a day-and-night basis. Unlike conventional slum clearance that relocates the poor to distant suburbs, this project keeps residents in the same area, preserving their access to local livelihoods. Each family will receive a free two-room flat measuring around 410 square feet, with an estimated market value of ₹20 lakh. Each unit includes a separate bedroom, kitchen, living space, and bathroom, with 15 flats per floor. The complex will include elevators, internal roads, sewerage and drainage systems, street lighting, a community hall, and a children's park. APUIAML is also laying a paved road connecting the complex to the Allipuram main road. Families who have lived on this land for nearly four generations without formal titles had long feared permanent displacement. To address this, GVMC is paying each relocated family ₹3,000 a month in rental assistance, with those who fully vacated and demolished their homes given a lump-sum advance of six months' rent (₹18,000). Beneficiaries were also issued legally binding allotment documents with specific flat numbers before vacating, to prevent future disputes. Earlier relocation drives to distant colonies like Parawada, Anandapuram, and Gidijala disrupted people's livelihoods, increased commuting costs, and often led residents to drift back into the city. This project takes a different approach by keeping auto drivers, domestic workers, street vendors, and sanitation staff, most of the affected residents, close to their existing work. Overseen by Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana and MA&UD Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar, the project is targeted for completion by late 2027 and is being positioned as a model for slum-free urban redevelopment across Andhra Pradesh's major cities.

8 September 2026

Dharmavaram Mega Job Mela Draws 3,000+ Youth; 100+ Companies Hire on the Spot

Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav inaugurated a Mega Job Mela in Dharmavaram, jointly organized by the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) and the Maa Samskruthi Seva Samiti. The recruitment drive brought more than 100 well-known companies from across the country onto a single platform to offer direct job opportunities to local youth. More than 3,000 unemployed young men and women from across the Dharmavaram constituency and the wider undivided Anantapur district attended the event to attend on-the-spot job interviews. This recruitment drive builds on a previous job mela held last January, which successfully provided employment to over 2,000 candidates. Minister Satya Kumar Yadav congratulated all the candidates who secured job placements on the spot, stating that creating dependable employment and restoring hope among young people remains the core focus of the NDA coalition government. He added that keeping his promise to provide livelihoods brings immense satisfaction, pledging to continue working toward local employment and the overall development of Dharmavaram.

8 September 2026

Samsung India Cuts 80-100 Jobs Amid Rising Chip Costs, Falling Rupee

Samsung India has started cutting jobs across the company as chip prices soar, the rupee weakens, and sales slow down in the market. The company is letting go of 80 to 100 managers and senior employees working in the TV and home appliances divisions. About a quarter of the sales and marketing staff could lose their jobs. The company is doing this to protect its profits ahead of the festive season. These job cuts are affecting everyone from top executives to smaller branch managers. Termination letters are being handed out to a few employees each day. Affected staff are being told to leave immediately without serving a notice period. As compensation, the company is offering three months' salary plus one extra month's pay for every year worked. Alongside this, Samsung is merging some branch offices to cut costs, combining offices in Ranchi and Patna, Delhi and Gurugram, and Punjab and Chandigarh. The main reason behind this is rising costs. As AI companies buy more chips for their data centers, chip prices have doubled over the past year. Since Samsung doesn't have its own chip factory, it has to bear this extra cost itself. On top of that, the rupee's 10% fall has made imported parts even more expensive. This forced the company to raise prices on some appliances and phones by 5 to 10 percent, even though retailers opposed the hike. Samsung earned ₹1.1 lakh crore in revenue last financial year, but phone sales fell by 11 to 12 percent, and AC sales also didn't grow as much as expected. However, the company has spared its mobile phone division from these job cuts, since phones bring in about three-quarters of its total revenue. Samsung is hoping that Galaxy phone sales will pick up during Dussehra and Diwali. But if festive sales don't meet targets, insiders say another round of layoffs could follow after Diwali, this time possibly affecting mobile division jobs as well.

8 September 2026

NH-516E: New Lifeline for Araku, Lambasingi as Tribal Land Rights Concerns Persist

To better connect tribal areas of the Eastern Ghats with the rest of the state, the central government is upgrading the 406-kilometre NH-516E into a major highway with World Bank support. Running from Rajahmundry in East Godavari to Vizianagaram, the road passes through some of the state's toughest hill terrain and tribal-dominated agency areas. It used to be a narrow road that frequently got damaged during the monsoon. Now, under a project backed by a $500 million World Bank loan, the central government is spending ₹1,668.93 crore to convert 210.89 kilometres of it into a modern two-lane highway. The work is being carried out in six sections: Koyyuru to Chaprathipalem (45.50 km), Chaprathipalem to Lambasingi (39.50 km), Lambasingi to Paderu (48.43 km), Paderu to Gondiguda (25.08 km), Gondiguda to Araku (24.29 km), and Bowdara to Vizianagaram (26.94 km). Special construction methods are being used to prevent landslides while keeping the environmental impact low. The road has already brought noticeable change to Alluri Sitharama Raju district. Travel time from the coast to tourist spots has dropped by 30 to 40 percent. Lambasingi, often called the "Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh," and Araku Valley now draw tourists year-round instead of just during winter. This has boosted homestays and small hotels, creating jobs for locals. Tribal produce like Araku coffee, turmeric, pepper, and fruits now reaches the market faster without spoiling. During emergencies, 108 ambulances can now reach patients and get them to Paderu hospital or KGH in Visakhapatnam much faster. However, the project has also faced some objections. Widening the road required felling over 7,000 trees in reserve forests, including valuable teak trees. While the government has planned to plant new trees across 120 hectares as compensation, environmental groups say planting a single type of tree cannot bring back the natural diversity of the original forest. Tribal organizations, including the Andhra Pradesh Adivasi Joint Action Committee, allege that road construction and stone quarrying were carried out without first getting permission from Gram Sabhas, as required by law. In areas like Koyyuru, Chintapalli, and Paderu, displaced tribal families and small farmers are protesting, demanding proper market-rate compensation and rehabilitation under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act instead of the usual lower payouts. The remaining work is expected to be completed soon. Overall, while NH-516E is bringing development and tourism to long-neglected hill regions, it also places responsibility on the local government to ensure fair land compensation for tribal communities and to protect the environment.

8 September 2026

Jana Sena Demands 6 Mayoral Posts, 30% Rural Quota in Local Body Seat-Sharing With TDP

The Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party is preparing an assertive seat-sharing blueprint for Andhra Pradesh's upcoming local body elections, seeking a significantly expanded share of power within the ruling NDA coalition. Buoyed by its 2024 general election strike rate, party strategists have moved away from the concessions made during Assembly seat negotiations and drafted a hard-bargaining proposal aimed at rewarding grassroots cadres, Jana Sainiks and Veera Mahilas, who spent a decade building the party's ground network. The blueprint spans three governance tiers. Out of the state's 16 municipal corporations, Jana Sena is seeking 5 to 6 mayoral posts, primarily eyeing Kakinada, Eluru, Vijayawada, Ongole, and Tirupati, while keeping Visakhapatnam in play. Although TDP interlocutors have informally floated alternatives like Machilipatnam, JSP leadership is keen on securing top-tier centres like Vijayawada and Tirupati. At the municipal level, the party is seeking around 25 Chairperson posts, focused on coastal bastions including Bhimavaram, Tadepalligudem, Pithapuram, Tenali, Chirala, Tanuku, Amalapuram, Narasapuram, Anakapalle, Mandapeta, and Nidadavole. In rural bodies, Jana Sena wants a flat 30% seat allocation in MPTCs and ZPTCs, along with up to 9 Zilla Parishad Chairperson posts, particularly across the Godavari and Krishna delta districts. This marks a clear shift from the 2024 Assembly formula, when Pawan Kalyan settled for just 21 MLA seats to strengthen the anti-YSRCP alliance, a move that yielded a 100% strike rate but limited the party's own representation. Both Pawan Kalyan and PAC Chairman Nadendla Manohar have told party ranks that this formula won't apply to local body polls. With ministerial berths and nominated posts strictly limited at the state level, local bodies are seen as the only avenue to accommodate thousands of municipal and panchayat-level workers. The demand for 30% of rural seats and a strong share of urban corporations is being framed within the party as a matter of "political self-respect," signaling to TDP that Jana Sena will not function as a junior partner at the municipal and panchayat levels. To prepare its ground network, Jana Sena has announced parliamentary constituency-level coordination committees, each with a primary coordinator and a three-member panel, backed by assembly-level coordinators tasked with assessing winning potential and candidate rosters. A state-level orientation workshop for coordinators is scheduled at the party headquarters in Mangalagiri. Formal negotiations with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP will begin once Pawan Kalyan returns to active party consultations following a medical recess in Kerala. While both allies remain committed to contesting the local body polls as a unified front against the YSRCP, managing municipal ticket aspirations and containing rebellion among local TDP leaders in seats claimed by Jana Sena will be the coalition's key challenge in the coming weeks.