Latest news with #NSridhar
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
ED likely to ask ACB to share info on Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme irregularities
HYDERABAD: Even as the ACB sleuths conducted searches at the residences of retired Irrigation engineer-in-chief C Muralidhar Rao and his relatives for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly focused its attention on corrupt engineers involved in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme. The sources said the ED is likely to seek details from the ACB on the Kaleshwaram irregularities, including allegations of diverting government funds as investments into personal companies and organising destination weddings abroad. The ED is also focusing on the allegations that ENC Muralidhar Rao reportedly parked the corrupt money in his son Abhishek Rao's companies. The ED is also likely to probe the destination marriage of Irrigation executive engineer N Sridhar's son conducted in Thailand. Sridhar was recently trapped by the ACB. The ED will not only investigate the corruption by irrigation engineers but also their financial transactions, according to sources. The ED, according to sources, is planning to seek detailed information from the ACB on corruption cases involving C Muralidhar, N Sridhar and others. Meanwhile, ACB officials said that they conducted searches at the residence of Muralidhar in Hyderabad for the second day. They also conducted searches at residences of Muralidhar's relatives in Warangal and Karimnagar.
New Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana High Court issues contempt notices to Chief Secretary, officials over sweeper's salary
Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka of the Telangana High Court on Monday issued contempt notices to three senior government officials for failing to comply with a prior court order with regard to payment of salaries to part-time sweepers working in public libraries in Mahbubnagar district. The officials who have been issued notices are Principal Secretary (Education) N Sridhar, the then Principal Secretary (Finance) K Ramakrishna Rao, who is the current state chief secretary, and Director of Public Libraries S Srinivasa Chary. They have been directed to personally appear before the court at 10.30 am on July 24, 2025 and show cause as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for non-compliance with the court's earlier orders. The contempt case was filed by AV Hema Latha and two others, who have been serving as part-time sweepers in various libraries across Mahbubnagar district. They approached the court after the authorities failed to implement the high court order issued on December 19, 2024, directing the respondents to pay them salaries in accordance with GO 841 (November 28, 2011) and GO 33 (September 24, 2016). The salary payments were to be made retrospectively from January 20, 2017 onwards, provided the petitioners continued to discharge their duties in the same department. The court observed that despite a clear direction, the concerned authorities had not acted on the judgment, thereby prompting the initiation of contempt proceedings. The case underscores the growing concern over the enforcement of judicial orders, especially in matters involving lower-rung government employees.
United News of India
17-06-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Minister Seethakka sets monthly targets for Panchayati Raj Dept
Hyderabad, June 17 (UNI) Telangana Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Dr Dhanasari Anasuya Seethakka, on Tuesday directed officials of the department to set monthly targets and work systematically towards their achievement to ensure the timely implementation of development and welfare activities. Chairing a high-level review meeting here, the Minister reviewed the progress of ongoing schemes such as Mission Bhagiratha, Indira Mahila Shakti, Stree Nidhi, and the newly introduced HUM Policy for rural road construction. She also addressed pending employee issues and praised the efforts of departmental staff in delivering grassroots services, an official statement said. Minister Seethakka congratulated N Sridhar on taking charge as the Principal Secretary of the Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Department, expressing confidence that under his leadership, the department would scale new heights. She recalled Sridhar's contributions as the former Warangal Collector and CMD of Singareni Collieries, particularly in her own constituency, and said his appointment would strengthen interdepartmental coordination and help secure more funding for rural initiatives. She emphasised that the department, which represents over 2.5 crore people, should function like a family—from the minister to the multipurpose worker—working together with a shared vision of village development. Highlighting the importance of rural road infrastructure, the Minister stated that 18,472 kilometres of roads would be modernised under the HUM Policy, with 7,947 kilometres to be developed in the first phase. She added that Rs 1,800 crore worth of works had already been sanctioned and instructed officials to prepare an action plan to invite tenders within the next 15 days. The guidelines for the HUM project would be released shortly, and teams had been dispatched to Maharashtra and Karnataka to study best practices for effective implementation. Seethakka noted that rural roads, once neglected, would now surpass even urban roads in quality through this policy. She also announced that this year, 1,440 Gram Panchayat buildings and 1,440 Anganwadi centres would be constructed across the state—two for each mandal. These projects are expected to be taken up under a state-wide "Work Fair," which aims to generate employment while creating durable community assets. The Minister said that the government had resolved many staff-related issues since coming to power, including the regular payment of salaries to 93,000 village-level employees through the green channel. She further informed that the file regarding MPDO transfers was with the Chief Minister, and the vehicle allowance file had reached the Finance Department, with approvals expected soon. Principal Secretary N Sridhar, addressing the meeting, said that the Panchayati Raj Department plays a vital role in empowering rural communities and women through schemes like Indira Mahila Shakti. He said the department delivers essential services from the village to the district level and pledged to hold focused review meetings with each section to enhance overall performance. Sridhar urged everyone to work in unison to bring a good name to the government under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Minister Seethakka. He assured full commitment to building a transparent, efficient, and people-centred department. UNI VV SS
Hans India
15-06-2025
- Hans India
Babu held for graft had blessings of his bosses !
Hyderabad: Among dishonest government officials in a loop, it pays to keep money taps open. And, those having money taps are often powerful enough to stave off a transfer or simply ignore it! This explains how N Sridhar, an official of the Irrigation Department, arrested recently in a disproportionate assets case, managed to stay in the same location and position for over one year despite his transfer and even got his superiors to support him in the department by devious means. During investigations following the arrest of Sridhar in DA case, the Anti-Corruption Bureau stumbled upon the role of top irrigation officials in supporting him to continue in the same post, defying transfer orders issued by the Irrigation Secretary last year. Engineer-in– chief (General) G Anil Kumar is suspected to have helped Sridhar by quietly not relieving from the post. Officials said that state Irrigation Secretary Rahul Bojja issued orders to Sridhar, who was working as Executive Engineer (EE) in Choppadani in Karimnagar district, asking him to report to the head office on June 27 last year. The official did not report but managed to continue in the post and in the same location without any communication to the head office for the last one year. Aghast at this finding, the ACB, which arrested the irrigation official in a DA assets case last week, sought additional details with evidence from the higher authorities. Upon enquiries, the agency received information that Sridhar had been maintaining close relations with some top officials in the head office of the irrigation wing and thus managed to continue in the same post. 'The role of Anil Kumar in supporting Sridhar and other officials is under investigation. The ACB will summon the ENC and other top officials once the agency gets adequate evidence about the links between these officials,' sources said. It was pointed out that Anil had stopped the transfer of Sridhar and managed it secretly without involving the Secretary. Taking serious note of it, the ACB officials decided to question Sridhar, presently in Chanchalguda jail, to ferret out details of his relations with his superiors in the Irrigation wing. The role of top officials in supporting the corrupt engineer to amass a staggering wealth of more than Rs 200 crore would be probed before proceeding against all others who are believed to be involved in the entire episode, sources told The Hans India.
Hans India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
ACB lens on Irrigation Dept as skeletons tumble out of closet
Hyderabad: The Irrigation Department in Telangana has come under intense scrutiny recently, following a surge in corruption cases against its officials. Frequent arrests of Irrigation engineers over the past three months related to disproportionate assets and bribery have cast serious doubts on the efficacy and integrity of personnel within the department. Most of the arrested corrupt officials are reported to have amassed assets worth no less than Rs 100 crore. In the latest case concerning disproportionate assets, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Executive Engineer N Sridhar. Searches were conducted at multiple locations, including his residence and those of his relatives, in connection with allegations of acquiring illicit wealth. The corrupt official was found to own villas, luxury apartments, and expensive open plots in Hyderabad. ACB officials revealed that they have been receiving numerous complaints against Irrigation officials, alleging demands for bribes to clear pending bills from contractors. Many of the irrigation engineers, who possess the authority to approve project works and finalise executing agencies, are currently facing corruption allegations within the department. ACB sleuths meticulously analysed Sridhar's track record before conducting searches to uncover assets amassed through illegal means throughout his career as an engineer. The market value of these disproportionate assets is estimated to exceed Rs 200 crore. In recent times, the ACB also apprehended Assistant Engineer Nikesh Kumar from the Irrigation Department, unearthing assets valued at an estimated Rs 150 crore during raids at his residence and other locations. Nikesh allegedly colluded with contractors and undertook works under 'benami' (proxy) names. The sheer scale of his exploitation of official position stunned the entire department. The arrest of Executive Engineer Arram Reddy Amarender Reddy, who was caught red handed accepting a bribe of Rs 60,000, further astonished irrigation officials. Such direct apprehension of irrigation officials by the Anti Corruption Bureau for accepting bribes has been rare in recent years. Top officials have indicated that the Irrigation Secretary is currently reviewing the performance of department personnel. A particular focus is on the long tenure of officials in single posts within the same office, which is believed to be a primary reason for them developing extensive networks with agencies and subsequently exploiting their positions for illicit gain.
