Kurnool District - Projects & Development Updates

NSL Consolidated (ASX: NSL) has reached a milestone, producing the first saleable beneficiated ore during commissioning of the phase one Kurnool iron ore dry separation plant in India.

A beneficiated grade of up to 58% iron ore was achieved, with further process optimisation underway. A 58% iron ore product sells domestically for about US$90 per tonne.

Given the strength of the domestic Indian iron ore market in both demand and pricing, NSL has said it may prioritise domestic sales at the gate ahead of export opportunities.

The Kurnool stockyard in southeast India is a 12 acre industrial site located adjacent to NSL’s existing Kuja iron mine in Andhra Pradesh. The stockyard will source its iron from the nearby Mangal iron ore mine.

Start-up commenced at Mangal in March to produce the first mainstream ore that will provide sustained plant feedstock once the plant moves from commissioning to steady state production.

Stockpiles from Mangal are being transferred to the stockyard to use as beneficiation plant feedstock.

Commissioning on individual equipment components for the Phase One crushing, screening and dry separation dry plant is continuing

NSL is targeting an initial steady production rate of 200,000 beneficiated tonnes per annum from the first phase of operations at Kurnool, and is on track to achieve sales revenue from the Kurnool plant in the first six months of 2012.

The company expects to maintain saleable grades of up to 58% and increase the small scale volumes as it ramps up operations at the phase one plant.

Meanwhile, NSL is nearing completion of the phase two wet iron ore beneficiation plant, which will be capable of producing product grades of between 58% and 62% iron.

As part of the phase two beneficiation process, the wet beneficiation plant will continue to be constructed and commissioned through the first half of 2012, with completion and first sales contribution in the first six months of 2013.

Work is underway to determine the potential to increase the production over and above the targeted rate of 200,000 tonnes per annum with the incorporation of phase one and two production.

Potential for Growth

NSL is continuing to assess complimentary new bulk commodity mining opportunities to expand its potential production base in Andhra Pradesh.

During the December quarter the company continued to progress several opportunities for either outright acquisition and/or joint venture structured agreements over multiple projects across India, together with additional Australian coal tenements.

The company’s dual bulk commodity focus provides it with the opportunity to link its maiden iron ore start-up operations and first revenues with its exploration and development of the Queensland thermal coal assets.

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The company has utilised Chinese technology for beneficiating low grade iron ore to high grade iron ore.

HYDERABAD, APRIL 24:
NSL Mining Resources has proposed to set up an iron ore beneficiation plant at Veerayapalli in Betamcherla Mandal of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh. The project cost is around Rs 11 crore.

The proposed project will be located within 4.92 hectares of land owned by the company. It will have a capacity of one million tonnes a year . The raw material will be sourced from within two nearby mines, owned and operated by the NSL.

The upgraded iron ore will be sold to domestic steel industries, a company press release said. The company has utilised Chinese technology for beneficiating low grade iron ore to high grade iron ore.

Plans are on to construct one of the most advanced plants in India. The project is utilising iron ore of such a low quality that in all other parts of India it would be classified as reject, the release claimed.

Today, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has conducted an environmental public hearing for establishing the project at the site. The district collector Mr Ram Shankar Naik presided over the meeting which was coordinated by Bagavathi Ana Laboratories from Hyderabad. About 200 villagers and members of the local communities participated in the public hearing.

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NSL Consolidated (ASX: NSL) is on schedule to complete the commissioning of the Phase 1 Kurnool dry separation iron ore plant in India after successfully conducting the first complete full load test.

Full commissioning of the plant continues as the company finalises optimisation of the process capable of producing up to 58% iron grade ore, with completion scheduled for 30 June 2012.

Run of mine ore from the company’s nearby Mangal iron ore mine was run through the entire Kurnool circuit, enabling NSL to validate alignment and calibration of all components of the crushing, screening and dry separation plant.

The company is targeting an initial steady production rate of 200,000 beneficiated tonnes per annum from the first phase of operations at the Kurnool stockyard, with beneficiated grades of up to 58% achieved earlier this year.

A 58% iron ore product sells domestically for about US$90 per tonne, meaning that at 200,000 tonnes per annum production, NSL is looking at first phase revenue of $18 million.

In Phase 2 of the project, NSL aims to ramp up production to 400,000 tonnes per annum at higher grades of between 58% and 62% iron. First sales are anticipated in the first half of 2013.

NSL is targeting production of 1.5 million tonnes per annum by the end of 2014, which is achievable through strategic acquisitions and supply agreements.

NSL is the only foreign company to own and operate iron ore mines in India.

The Kurnool stockyard in southeast India is a 12 acre industrial site located adjacent to NSL’s existing Kuja iron mine in Andhra Pradesh. The stockyard will source its iron from the nearby Mangal iron ore mine.


Indian steel consumption on the rise

India is the world’s third largest iron ore exporter and has low production costs and well established infrastructure. Iron ore is a large but fragmented industry with small-scale operations.

This feeds into a strong domestic market for steel, forecast to increase substantially.

India's leading steel producer JSW Steel forecast recently that Indian steel consumption is seen rising to about 130 million tonnes in 2020 from about 67 million tonnes this year as growing incomes and urbanisation drive demand.

JSW said it expects steel consumption will be close to 70 million tonnes this year and about 80 million tonnes in 2012.

The country is selling iron ore and other iron products to Chinese and Asian customers that are seeking supply diversification, and is also the world’s fifth largest steel manufacturer with an annualised growth rate of 10%.

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Highlights
Successful complete plant full load test conducted for new Phase 1 Kurnool iron ore plant in southeast Indian state of Andra Pradesh
Commissioning on target for completion by 30 June 2012
Sales to ramp up
The Directors of Perth-based NSL Consolidated Ltd (NSL or Company) are pleased to report that the Company has achieved another significant milestone in its transition to "producer" status.
The company successfully conducted the first complete full load test of NSL's Kurnool dry separation iron ore plant in the southeast Indian state of Andra Pradesh.
Run of Mine (ROM) ore from the Company's nearby Mangal iron ore mine was run through the entire Kurnool circuit, enabling NSL to validate alignment and calibration of all components of the crushing, screening and dry separation plant.
First material heading towards the primary screen
First material exiting the roller crusher
First material starting to come off the dry separation line
Full commissioning of the Phase 1 Kurnool iron ore dry separation plant continues as the Company finalises optimisation of the process capable of producing up to 58% Fe grade ore, with target completion by 30 June 2012.
NSL expects over the coming third quarter, a gradual ramp up in production and sales tonnages towards the targeted Phase 1 production capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum.
The Phase 2 wet beneficiation plant for Kurnool, capable of producing final product grades of between 58-62% Fe, will be brought into operation later in 2012 with completion and anticipated sales in the first half 2013. This is targeted to increase production capacity by an additional 200,000 tonnes per annum to a total of 400,000 tonnes per annum from Kurnool.
The Company's Kurnool stockyard is a 12 acre industrial site within the south-eastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. As well as the iron source at the nearby Mangal mine, the plant is also adjacent to NSL's existing Kuja iron mine.

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The Kurnool Medical College (KMC) principal, Dr G.S. Ramprasad, on Sunday said that the Medical Council of India (MCI) issued orders sanctioning 50 more seats to the KMC. He said that with this the total of number of MBBS seats in the college increased to 200.

Dr Ramprasad urged students in the Kurnool district strive to to get these additional seats. He said that the KMC was started with 50 students on July 21, 1956 and the number of seats has been increased now to 200.

Dr Ramprasad said that several old students of the KMC like Nori Dattatreyudu and Sekhar Tam won worldwide recognition. He said that state ministers D.L. Ravindra Reddy and S. Sailajanath were also old students of the college.

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For the first time, authorities are likely to declare a crop holiday for paddy in Kurnool district.

Last year, farmers declared a crop holiday for paddy over nearly 10,000 hectares in the district.

Following severe drought and poor rainfall so far this kharif season, agriculture department officials declared a crop holiday and are preparing an action plan to take up cultivation of alternative crops over nearly 97,000 hectares.

On an average every year, 5.65 lakh hectares are irrigated in the district of which paddy is taken up over one lakh hectares and groundnut over 1.67 lakh hectares.

Agriculture experts are of the opinion that cultivation of both crops is not possible under the present circumstances and advised farmers to take up alternative crops.

Every year, farmers take up cultivation of paddy over 98,000 hectares under the Tungabhadra lower canal, KC canal and SRBC.

Paddy cultivation increased phenomenally after completion of the Telugu Ganga project due to availability of irrigation water for two crops.

Record paddy production was achieved in the last few years. However, the situation has become grim with poor rainfall last year and this kharif season and most reservoirs in the district, including the Srisailam dam, are reaching their dead storage levels.

Water is not available in the SLBC due to poor water levels in the Tungabhadra reservoir which provides water to the canal.

Officials said that most farmers have not taking up nursery work due to acute shortage of water.

They feel that paddy cultivation is possible if the district gets heavy rainfall by July 15, reservoirs get filled and water is released in another 15 days.

They are preparing plans for alternative crops like maize, bengal gram, sunflower over 60,000 hectares and korra crop over 10,500 hectares.

Arrangements are also being taken to provide seeds to farmers at subsidised rates.

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HYDERABAD: The demand to make Srisailam hill-top temple, one of the 18 Shaktipeethams in the country, an autonomous body on the lines of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) manages the famed Tirumala temple has grown louder. A senior minister from Rayalaseema region where the temple is located recently wrote a letter to the endowments minister to consider the demand so that better amenities could be provided to the visiting pilgrims.

Sources said several political leaders and public representatives are also making feverish attempts to impress the state government to grant autonomy to the Srisailam temple, which presently is under the endowments control. Srisailam is the second biggest temple in the state after Tirumala. Its annual revenues running into hundreds of crores top all other temples in the state except Tirumala. The leaders are demanding that a separare trust board be formed to run the affairs of the Srisailam temple, which receives thousands of devotees every day from various parts of the country.

Politicians cutting across party lines also favour bringing all the Lord Shiva temples in Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa, Mahbubnagar and Prakasam districts under the jurisdiction of the new Srisailam temple trust board for administrative convenience. ""There are over 120 Shiva temples in the Nallamala forests alone. Once the trust board is set up, the affairs of these temples could be managed well,"" reasoned a former Srisailam temple official.

While the executive officer of TTD has all the powers at Tirumala, Srisailam temple has an assistant commissioner cadre officer who works under the endowments commissioner. ""Given the huge pilgrim influx and massive patronage, the time has come to give independent status to Srisailam on the lines of Tirumala,"" a TDP leader said.

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NSL Consolidated (ASX: NSL) has achieved another major milestone in its transition to producer, with the start of its ramp up to the targeted Phase 1 production capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum from its Kurnool dry separation iron ore plant in India.

The company is targeting a staged ramp up to the full 1.5 million tonnes per annum by the end of 2014.

Importantly, NSL has received a number of expressions of interest from local steel mills in regards to offtake agreements for the Kurnool iron ore.

Kurnool represents an attractive iron ore supply solution for these steel mills due to its close proximity. NSL is currently negotiating potential agreements.

Cedric Goode, managing director of NSL Consolidated, commented on the milestone: “We have made significant progress to date at Kurnool within our communicated budget and timetable.

“Importantly we anticipate generating meaningful cash inflows during the quarter, with strong domestic prices and low ex gate costs, as we are now ramping up to full production.

“We are buoyed by the interest from local steel mills in securing offtake from our operations and are hopeful to execute one or more sales agreements in the near future.

“Our journey is only just commencing, as we progress through completing Phases 1 and 2, to utilising our experience and actual performance to lift NSL to its desired 1.5 million tonne per annum target by the end of 2014.

“This target being possible through bolt on wet and dry separation plants to increase output, together with sourcing additional ore feed through strategic acquisitions and supply agreements.”


Full production ramp up

The ramp up process during the quarter includes expanding equipment and labour at the Mangal mine, starting up the Kuja mine and recruiting and training additional dry plant operators.

NSL is targeting an initial steady production rate of 200,000 beneficiated tonnes per annum from the first phase of operations at the Kurnool stockyard, with beneficiated grades of up to 58% achieved earlier this year.

A 58% iron ore product sells domestically for about US$70 to $93 per tonne, meaning that at 200,000 tonnes per annum production, NSL is looking at first phase revenue of $14 to $18.6 million.

In Phase 2 of the project, NSL aims to ramp up production to 400,000 tonnes per annum at higher grades of between 58% and 62% iron. First sales are anticipated in the first half of 2013.

NSL is targeting production of 1.5 million tonnes per annum by the end of 2014, which is achievable through strategic acquisitions and supply agreements.

NSL is the only foreign company to own and operate iron ore mines in India.

The Kurnool stockyard in southeast India is a 12 acre industrial site located adjacent to NSL’s existing Kuja iron mine in Andhra Pradesh. The stockyard will source its iron from the nearby Mangal iron ore mine.

Indian steel consumption on the rise

India is the world’s third largest iron ore exporter and has low production costs and well established infrastructure. Iron ore is a large but fragmented industry with small-scale operations.

This feeds into a strong domestic market for steel, forecast to increase substantially.

India's leading steel producer JSW Steel forecast recently that Indian steel consumption is seen rising to about 130 million tonnes in 2020 from about 67 million tonnes this year as growing incomes and urbanisation drive demand.

JSW said it expects steel consumption will be close to 70 million tonnes this year and about 80 million tonnes in 2012.

The country is selling iron ore and other iron products to Chinese and Asian customers that are seeking supply diversification, and is also the world’s fifth largest steel manufacturer with an annualised growth rate of 10%.

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Highlights
Phase 1 Kurnool iron ore plant commissioning now complete
Iron ore plant moves into production phase
Production to ramp up towards 200,000 tonnes per annum nameplate capacity during the September Quarter
Iron ore now being stockpiled for sale
Significant offtake interest from local steel mills
The Directors of Perth-based NSL Consolidated Ltd (NSL or Company) are pleased to report that the Company has achieved another significant milestone in its transition to "producer" status.
The Company has completed commissioning of the Kurnool dry separation iron ore plant located in the southeast Indian state of Andra Pradesh and has commenced the full production phase.
NSL is expecting a gradual ramp up in production and sales tonnages towards the targeted Phase 1 production capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum during the September Quarter.
The ramp up process during the quarter includes expanding equipment and labour at the Mangal mine, starting up the Kuja mine and recruiting and training additional dry plant operators.
Importantly, NSL has received a number of expressions of interest from local steel mills in regards to off-take agreements for the Kurnool iron ore. Kurnool represents an attractive iron ore supply solution for these steel mills due to its close proximity. The Company is currently negotiating potential agreements.
Through our observations in the commissioning stage, Phase 1 Kurnool iron production is expected to achieve a consistent grade of 54-58% iron. Such ore can be sold ex gate to these domestic steel mills for between INR 3700 - INR 4900 per tonne, depending on the final grade. Using a six month average exchange rate this represents approximately US$70- 93 per tonne ex gate (as compared to anticipated steady state cash costs of production of approximately US$18 per tonne).
The Phase 2 wet beneficiation plant for Kurnool, capable of producing final product grades of between 58-62% Fe, is anticipated to be brought into operation later in 2012 with completion and anticipated sales in the first half 2013. This is targeted to increase production capacity by an additional 200,000 tonnes per annum to a total of 400,000 tonnes per annum from Kurnool.
NSL Managing Director Cedric Goode commented "We have made significant progress to date at Kurnool within our communicated budget and timetable. Importantly we anticipate generating meaningful cash inflows during the quarter, with strong domestic prices and low ex gate costs, as we are now ramping up to full production. We are buoyed by the interest from local steel mills in securing off-take from our operations and are hopeful to execute one or more sales agreements in the near future."
"Our journey is only just commencing, as we progress through completing Phases 1 and 2, to utilising our experience and actual performance to lift NSL to its desired 1.5 million tonne per annum target by the end of 2014. This target being possible through bolt on wet and dry separation plants to increase output, together with sourcing additional ore feed through strategic acquisitions and supply agreements."
The Company's Kurnool stockyard is a 12 acre industrial site within the south-eastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. As well as the iron ore source at the nearby Mangal mine, the plant is also adjacent to NSL's existing Kuja iron ore mine.

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NSL Consolidated (ASX: NSL) has achieved another major milestone in its transition to producer, with the start of its ramp up to the targeted Phase 1 production capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum from its Kurnool dry separation iron ore plant in India.

The company is targeting a staged ramp up to the full 1.5 million tonnes per annum by the end of 2014.

Importantly, NSL has received a number of expressions of interest from local steel mills in regards to offtake agreements for the Kurnool iron ore.

Kurnool represents an attractive iron ore supply solution for these steel mills due to its close proximity. NSL is currently negotiating potential agreements.

Cedric Goode, managing director of NSL Consolidated, commented on the milestone: “We have made significant progress to date at Kurnool within our communicated budget and timetable.

“Importantly we anticipate generating meaningful cash inflows during the quarter, with strong domestic prices and low ex gate costs, as we are now ramping up to full production.

“We are buoyed by the interest from local steel mills in securing offtake from our operations and are hopeful to execute one or more sales agreements in the near future.

“Our journey is only just commencing, as we progress through completing Phases 1 and 2, to utilising our experience and actual performance to lift NSL to its desired 1.5 million tonne per annum target by the end of 2014.

“This target being possible through bolt on wet and dry separation plants to increase output, together with sourcing additional ore feed through strategic acquisitions and supply agreements.”


Full production ramp up

The ramp up process during the quarter includes expanding equipment and labour at the Mangal mine, starting up the Kuja mine and recruiting and training additional dry plant operators.

NSL is targeting an initial steady production rate of 200,000 beneficiated tonnes per annum from the first phase of operations at the Kurnool stockyard, with beneficiated grades of up to 58% achieved earlier this year.

A 58% iron ore product sells domestically for about US$70 to $93 per tonne, meaning that at 200,000 tonnes per annum production, NSL is looking at first phase revenue of $14 to $18.6 million.

In Phase 2 of the project, NSL aims to ramp up production to 400,000 tonnes per annum at higher grades of between 58% and 62% iron. First sales are anticipated in the first half of 2013.

NSL is targeting production of 1.5 million tonnes per annum by the end of 2014, which is achievable through strategic acquisitions and supply agreements.

NSL is the only foreign company to own and operate iron ore mines in India.

The Kurnool stockyard in southeast India is a 12 acre industrial site located adjacent to NSL’s existing Kuja iron mine in Andhra Pradesh. The stockyard will source its iron from the nearby Mangal iron ore mine.

Indian steel consumption on the rise

India is the world’s third largest iron ore exporter and has low production costs and well established infrastructure. Iron ore is a large but fragmented industry with small-scale operations.

This feeds into a strong domestic market for steel, forecast to increase substantially.

India's leading steel producer JSW Steel forecast recently that Indian steel consumption is seen rising to about 130 million tonnes in 2020 from about 67 million tonnes this year as growing incomes and urbanisation drive demand.

JSW said it expects steel consumption will be close to 70 million tonnes this year and about 80 million tonnes in 2012.

The country is selling iron ore and other iron products to Chinese and Asian customers that are seeking supply diversification, and is also the world’s fifth largest steel manufacturer with an annualised growth rate of 10%.

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Fifty four silver coins belonging to the Queen Victoria era of the erstwhile East India Company were recovered from an earthen pot during excavations at Bocheruvupalle village in Pyapili mandal of Kurnool district. Though the incident took place long ago, it came to light only on Sunday. According to sources, labourers Venkataraman-amma, Venkata Subbaiah and **** Raju were digging to construct a bathroom in the house of Sriramulu in Bocheruvupalle village. An earthen pot with silver coins was recovered during digging.

The labourers took away the pot concealed in a sand bag. They brought the matter to the notice of Vaddi Nallappa.

The four quarrelled over their share and the issue came to the notice of the house owner Sriramulu. Since the issue did not get settled between Sriramulu and the labourers, it spread all over the village and later came to the notice of police. Police led by sub-inspector Srinivas reached Bocheruvupalle village and took Sriramulu and labourers to the police station. During investigation, the five divulged the issue of the silver coins.

Police recovered the silver coins and sent them to Racharla police station.

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Traffic was badly disrupted between Holigunda and Adoni towns in Kurnool district on Sunday, following a breach in the Peddavanka lake in the mandal due to heavy rains. Water from the lake completely drained out due to the breach. However, there was no loss of human life. Police led by sub-inspector Lakshminarayan took up security arrangements and prevented people from entering the stream which was overflowing with rainwater. Tahsildar Niyaz Ahmed rushed to the spot and inspected the situation.

People alleged that officials had spent nearly Rs.12 lakh to construct a bund for the lake, but it had developed a breach exposing the quality of works. They alleged that the breach occurred for the second time due to low quality works by the contractor. They said that irrigation for nearly 300 acre has been affected due to the breach. Farmers requested authorities to plug the breach immediately.

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MYSORE: The famous Parimala Prasadam served at Kurnool temple in Andhra Pradesh has a link to Mysore.

The energy-saving innovation of the National Institute of Engineering, Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies (NIE-CREST) has reached the kitchen of Mantralayam temple.

The prasadam is prepared using fuel-efficient biomass stoves "Asthara", designed by the city-based engineering college which save up to 50 per cent of firewood every day.

Five months ago, NIE -CREST replaced the conventional stoves with four fuel efficient biomass stoves. The stoves were installed after studying the entire process of prasadam making. "Old conventional stoves were not fuel efficient and they produced more carbon. They had a bad impact on cooks' health. So we decided to replace them with fuel efficient stoves," says NIE-CREST director S Shamsundar.

Conventional stoves used to consume more than 500 kg of wood every day but, after installing new stoves it was reduced to 250 kg per day. Fuel efficient stoves have been developed using basic scientific principles of combustion and heat transfer involving conduction. About 70-80 per cent of the heat can be used in this system where it is 10-20 per cent in conventional stoves. "It reduces usage of firewood up to 100 tonnes and saves Rs 4 lakh a year.

Heat resistance bricks help save more heat. It also reduces carbon dioxide up to 10,000 kg and create a clean and healthy atmosphere for priests preparing prasadam," he added. Cotton and dal stems can also be burnt in fuel-efficient stoves instead of firewood.

Every day, the temple authorities use the stoves for nearly 4 to 5 hours and the demand goes up two-fold during Aradhana season. Around 400 to 500 degree heat is required to prepare prasadam, he added.

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“People should know that without education, a person is incomplete and seriously handicapped”

Collector C. Sudharsan Reddy called for concerted and coordinated efforts from officials and the public for reducing illiteracy in the district.

Literacy Day

Addressing a function in connection with World Literacy Day here on Saturday, he said Kurnool district was one of the 356 districts in the country and 19 districts in the State with poor literacy levels.

Apart from the education to school-going children, the adult education stream should also be educated to reduce literacy .

ADULT EDUCATION

He suggested that adults should be imparted other skills along with literacy so that the education package is relevant and attractive for them.

He said it should be conveyed to people that without education, a person is ‘incomplete’ and ‘seriously handicapped’.

WOMEN INCLUDED

Mr. Reddy said all types of schools set up for adults and children should be harnessed properly for better results.

He said women should be targeted exclusively for the literacy programme as it was equally important to educate women.

Project Officer of Rajiv Vidya Mission Padma Kumari, Adult Education Deputy Director Prabhakar Reddy, DEO Buchanna and others were present.

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Kurnool: District Collector C Sudarshan Reddy directed the representatives of various cement factories to supply cement to Indiramma houses within 15 days. He held a review meeting with the management of cement factories on cement supply to Indiramma houses here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, he informed on the scarcity of cement for the construction of Indiramma Houses and told the management to supply cement as per the requirement quoted earlier. He told them to supply at least 50 per cent of the allotted quota within 15 days. He stated that Panyam and KCP cement factories are not supplying cement and directed Housing PD Ramasubbu to issue notices to those factories that do not supply cement within 15 days and to keep their names in the black list.

The Collector said that Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Chittoor and Anantapur districts have to supply about 5,000 metric tonnes of cement and requested the management of cement factories and officials to supply the same. If not, he warned of inspecting the factories and of taking action against them.

Representatives of Panyam, KCP, Jayajyothi, Dalmia, Penna cement factories, Housing DE Nagaraju, Housing officials, and others participated in the meeting.

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Kurnool: People thronged Mangaliveedi in Sharif Nagar here on Tuesday as a man chanced upon a rock idol of a Goddess. Raghavendra chanced upon the ancient idol when he was digging the basement to renovate his house.

As the news spread like wildfire, women in large numbers thronged the place and offered prayers to the idol. Some women caught in hysteria announced the idol as Yellamma goddess. It has become the talk of the town.

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Kurnool: “Revenue officials should take the responsibility to protect the lands of Wakf Board from encroaching,” stated K Mastan Vali, chairman of Minority Welfare Committee. The Committee inspected the Wakf Board properties that were encroached at Joharapuram, Jayath Nagar and Woodlands in Kurnool on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mastan Vali said that there are 22,599 acres of Wakf Board lands in the district and out of this, 3,099 acres have been illegally occupied. He directed the DRO to issue notices to those who encroached these lands. “The government has made the Wakf Board Act in such way that even after 100 years the Board can recover the lands if the properties of the Board are registered.

According to this Act, the District Collector with magisterial powers has the authority to cancel the papers and to show alternate lands,” said the chairman. Responding to the request for constructing a compound wall or fencing to protect the Wakf lands, the chairman told the officials to submit proposals and he will make recommendations to the government.

Later, addressing a meeting at the Collectorate in Kurnool on Tuesday, Mastan Vali said that about eight lakh minority students are unable to apply for fee reimbursement and scholarships. He directed the officials concerned to provide awareness among them to submit applications.

He further directed the officials to provide training in computer centres to the minority students and 15 per cent employment opportunities. Nandikotkur MLA Labbi Venkataswamy, Panyam MLA Katasani Rambhupal Reddy, MLC Sudhakar Babu, committee members Christian Lazarus, K Vidyasagar Rao, AJC Ramaswamy, RDO Venkata Murali, District Collector C Sudarshan Reddy, district Minority Welfare Officer Obulesu and others participated in the inspection and meeting.

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Kurnool: District Collector C Sudarshan Reddy directed the Rajiv Vidya Mission officials to take steps to provide medical aid to the 2,943 students identified under Jawahar Bala Arogya Raksha Scheme (JBAR). He held a review meeting with the officials of Rajiv Vidya Mission over the working of teachers and records of students of schools and Kasturba schools in the district, staff requirement and other issues at the Collectorate in Kurnool on Thursday.

The Collector directed the officials concerned to inspect the schools in remote village and in mandals and to distribute issued for the Girijana Schools. He told the community mobilization officers to take steps to ensure the all students get uniforms. He directed the Rajiv Vidya Mission officials to prepare a special plan of action for organising a special programme in the district.

Rajiv Vidya Mission JCDOs, CMOs, DCCOs, assistant DCCOs, community mobilization coordinators, EEs, DEs, AEs and others participated in the meeting.

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Kurnool: Minister for Revenue N Raghuveera Reddy and Minister for Women and Child Development V Sunita Laxma Reddy inaugurated Pattikonda reservoir of Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project at Pattikonda in the district on Saturday.

After releasing water from Pandikona canal to Kottaplli reservoir, Raghuveera Reddy along with his followers and leaders continued his ‘Bhagiratha Vijaya Yatra’ on the seventh day. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry D Purandeswari and Union Minister of State for Railways Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy joined the Minister’s march later in the day and addressed a public meeting at Adoni.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Purandeswari said that addressing people’s problems was the top priority for the Congress party. The HNSS project would end the drinking water and irrigation problems of the drought-hit Rayalaseema region, she added.

According to government sources, Endowments Minister C Ramachandraiah and Minister for Cooperation Kasu Krishna Reddy will join Raghuveera Reddy in the march on Sunday. The march will enter Guntakallum mandal in Anantapur district on Sunday evening.

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