Hyderabad, June 24: It's seems that Andhra Pradesh is in a treasure hunt with more than a dozen companies hunting for diamond, gold and other precious stones and metals in the state. Among the renowned companies are De Beers India, Geo Mysore, Adi Gold Mining, Deccan Gold Mining, Amil Mining, CRA, Anglo American Exploration, NMDC, Ramgadh Mining and Navarathna Minerals.

Private infrastructure company GMR will replace state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in the proposed Rs 31,000-crore refinery and petrochemical plant at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. The exit follows the country's largest oil and gas producer's claims over the past year that the project was unviable. ENTRY STRATEGY # GMR will hold 51% in the Kakinada Refinery and Petrochemical Ltd (KRPL), the company implementing the project # No tax sops to be extended to GMR

The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, will inaugurate the first corn-based ethanol plant in the coastal Andhra Pradesh at Gandepalli village in Kanchikacharla mandal of Krishna district on Tuesday. The Chief Minister will arrive at Kanchikacharla at 10.15 am and inaugurate the plant which was built at a cost of Rs 130 crore. The plant provides direct employment to 350 people and indirect employment to another 1,000 people. The value-added agro-processing unit will manufacture ethanol from coarse cereals, which is an additive to petrol.

The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president, Mr D. Srinivas, exuded confidence that the people would repose their faith in the Congress and bring the pro-farmer YSR government again to power in the next elections to continue the development endeavour.

Kolleru lake would be developed at a cost of nearly Rs 860 crore over five years as the international non-governmental agency, Wetland International South Asia, has prepared proposals to that effect at the behest of the state government. Of the total cost proposed for development, a whopping Rs 500 crore has been allocated for water management works.

State-owned exploration giant Oil and Natural Gas Corporation on Monday decided to exit the Rs 25,600 crore Kakinada refinery, petrochemicals and SEZ project. It will be replaced by infrastructure major GMR Group which would get 51% equity in the venture, that had also been eyed by the Hinduja group.

Bringing cheer to the farmers in the district, the Devadula lift irrigation project authorities on Sunday succeeded in releasing the water into the Dharmasagar reservoir near here. The release of water into the Dharmasagar this time is really a big success for the authorities as there were no hiccups in the entire stretch of pipeline from the main intake well at Gangaram to the Dharmasagar reservoir, which is 132 kilometres away.

Publicity given for the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 to educate the STs on their rights on forest land became a nuisance for the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). ITDA organised street plays with the help of Jana Vignana Vedika cultural troops to highlight the Act in the areas close to forest. Many people including vested interests are making a beeline to the ITDA office everyday to stake a claim on forest land though they are no way concerned and not eligible under the Act.

The citizens of Greater Hyderabad can boast of having good healthcare services, international airport, world class research and educational institutions among other things. But when it comes to monsoon, the city roads turn into virtual swimming pools. Even 11 mm or 1.1 cm of rainfall in an hour inundates the main roads resulting in traffic chaos. Houses in the low-lying areas are marooned and the inhabitants have to shift to community halls or schools.

Speakers who participated at an open forum against the elevated Hyderabad Metro Rail project on Sunday expressed fear that the Rs 10,000-crore project turn into a real estate development scheme. Eminent architect from New Delhi, Mr Kuldip Singh, said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was acquiring land across the city and handing it over to the Delhi metro rail.