The monsoon session of Telangana Assembly began on a turbulent note with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs refused entry into the Assembly for wearing black t-shirts carrying the slogan ‘Congress failed to deliver promises in 1000 days’. And, inside the Assembly, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators led the protests forcing the Speaker to adjourn it for 15 minutes without taking up any business.

The drama prevailed outside the Assembly when the BRS MLAs were prevented from entering the Assembly premises by the police objecting to the content on the T-shirts. Arguments ensued with the police preventing them and the BRS MLAs physically pushing away the police for stopping them.

BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, BRSLP deputy leader T. Harish Rao, MLAs Kaushik Reddy, Pochampalli Srinivas Reddy and former Minister G. Jagadish Reddy among others were seen arguing with the police. They were detained and shifted to Telangana Bhavan.

The BRS claimed that KTR and Mr. Jagadish Reddy sustained minor injuries. Former Ministers and BRS women MLAs Sunitha Reddy and Sabitha Indra Reddy claimed that they were ill-treated by the police. Ms. Sunitha Reddy was in tears for the way the police treated them claiming that they were pulled by hair.

After the police refused to allow them into the premises, Mr. Harish Rao removed his T-shirt. Later, some BRS MLAs staged a protest at the Assembly lobby entrance against the alleged police high-handedness.

Earlier, BRS legislators paid tributes to Telangana martyrs at the Gun Park. Speaking to the media there, KTR said the party would raise issue of lands under prohibited properties list under the Section 22A of Registration Act and the unpaid fee reimbursement dues.

The Telangana government has merged the Food Safety Department and the Drugs Control Administration (DCA) under a unified administrative structure called the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE), bringing food and drug regulation in the State under a single administrative authority.

The government has appointed 2005-batch IPS officer Avinash Mohanty, who was serving as Director General of the DCA, as Commissioner of TG SAFE, in addition to his existing duties. He has also been notified as Commissioner of Food Safety for Telangana.

Unified administrative framework

The merger order was issued by Health Secretary Christina Z. Chongthu. According to the order, the move has been prompted by the increasing number of licensed food business operators in the State and the need to strengthen compliance and enforcement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, with the objective of preventing unsafe, spurious and substandard food and drugs.

The government said the two departments have common objectives relating to public health, consumer safety, quality assurance and regulatory enforcement. A unified administrative framework will help improve surveillance, intelligence gathering, enforcement, legal support and overall regulatory outcomes.

However, the merger is administrative in nature and does not dilute the statutory powers of the two departments. Authorities and officers under the Food Safety and Standards Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act will continue to exercise their respective statutory powers independently under the relevant laws and rules.

TG SAFE will function through six wings, namely, Drug Administration, Food Safety, Enforcement, Legal and Prosecution, Laboratory and Administration. The government has decided to initially operationalise the unified system in the CURE region, citing the high concentration of food business operators and drug establishments in the area.

During the initial phase, the Food Safety Department and DCA will work through common administrative, enforcement, legal, laboratory, intelligence and data-analysis mechanisms.

The government has also made provisions for the implementation of TG SAFE and permitted vacant sanctioned posts to be filled through deputation, contract or outsourcing in accordance with prescribed procedures. Alongside the merger, the government has ordered the constitution of a State-level committee to review the modernisation of the Food Safety and Drugs Control administration.

The committee will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the unified authority and examine issues such as harmonisation of service rules, optimal cadre strength for statutory duties, testing and legal support, intelligence and data-analysis systems, and infrastructure upgrades for field units and laboratories. It will also examine the scope for establishing a technology-enabled regulatory framework in line with national and global best practices.

The committee will also assess the outcomes and gains from the implementation of TG SAFE in the CURE region. Its recommendations will form the basis for a final decision on establishing a unified Food and Drug Department across Telangana, which is to be submitted within the prescribed timelines.

Telangana Government would launch the distribution of 1.05 crore laminated Public Distribution System Ration Cards on August 15, 2026, on the occasion of Independence Day. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy would formally commence the distribution in Sangareddy. It will be simultaneously rolled out in 119 Assembly constituencies. 

The ratio cards that people now hold have names and a family photo of a beneficiary. It was learnt that the new card will have a number and barcode, which can be used to fetch details of the beneficiaries online. It will be the size of debit cards, which would fit into cardholders or wallets. 

Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy directed officers concerned to finalize and verify constituency-wise list of beneficiaries, make arrangements for registration, verification and orderly distribution to beneficiaries. 

Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the commencement marks ‘one of the most significant welfare initiatives of Government of Telangana aimed at strengthening food security and extending benefits of Public Distribution System to all newly eligible families”. 

Currently, food grains quota for three months (August, September and October) are being distributed at ration shops.  

The Warangal district administration has launched an exercise to demarcate lands under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Telangana Department of Heritage (formerly Department of Archaeology & Museums) in a bid to strengthen protection of archaeological monuments and prevent encroachments.

District Collector Satya Sharada has directed officials to identify and demarcate the boundaries of all protected sites and prepare comprehensive maps to facilitate their effective safeguarding.

Chairing a meeting with officials of the ASI, the Department of Heritage, the Revenue Department, and the Survey and Land Records Department on Wednesday (July 29, 2026), she said the exercise would help establish the exact extent of protected lands and prevent unauthorised occupation.

The Collector instructed officials to complete the demarcation process at the earliest and take all necessary steps to safeguard the district’s archaeological heritage.

The initiative reportedly follows a recent communication from Telangana Department of Heritage’s Director K. Arjun Rao to all district Collectors, urging them to expedite the transfer of lands attached to protected monuments from the Revenue and other departments to the Department of Heritage wherever such alienation has not been completed.

According to officials, although several temples and heritage structures were declared protected monuments decades ago by the ASI and the State archaeology department, the lands attached to many of them were never formally transferred to the heritage department. Officials said these administrative lapses have left several sites vulnerable to encroachments and disputes over ownership.

Protected monuments lands encroached

Sources said lands attached to the protected monuments in the erstwhile Warangal district was allegedly encroached upon. In some cases, individuals are also reported to have obtained pattas for lands belonging to protected monuments, raising concerns among heritage officials and conservationists. The exercise is expected to be taken up in all districts to establish clear ownership records and strengthen legal protection for archaeological sites.

32 protected monuments in erstwhile Warangal

Warangal, the former capital of the Kakatiya dynasty, possesses one of Telangana’s richest concentrations of medieval monuments. The erstwhile Warangal district has 32 monuments protected by the Telangana Department of Heritage. It is also home to three major ASI-protected monuments, Warangal Fort in Warangal, the Thousand Pillar Temple at Hanumakonda and the Ramappa Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In a significant development that could have wider implications for the functioning of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), the Telangana High Court on Monday (July 27, 2026) directed the Chief Secretary to relieve IPS officer A.V. Ranganath from his post as HYDRAA Commissioner and appoint a suitable replacement.

The direction came from Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti while hearing a batch of contempt cases arising out of allegations that HYDRAA officials violated court orders during an operation at a disputed land parcel in Lothkunta.

At the heart of the controversy is a 40 acre property claimed by M/s Shanta Sriram Constructions Private Limited. The company alleged that HYDRAA officials entered the land in July with nearly 50 vehicles and around 200 personnel. According to the petitioner, the officials damaged containers, chairs, tables and other office infrastructure while demolishing tin sheet structures on the premises, asserting that the land belonged to the government.

The dispute has witnessed a series of dramatic judicial interventions over the past week. On July 23, the High Court ordered the deployment of armed forces to protect the 40 acre property. However, the order was subsequently kept in abeyance until July 24 after Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy informed the court that the government would file an affidavit stating that HYDRAA officials had not entered the private land.

The matter took a sharper turn on July 24 when the court directed Mr. Ranganath to submit an affidavit containing an apology and an explanation regarding his alleged interference in the land dispute. Although the affidavit was filed, Justice Jukanti nevertheless proceeded to direct the Chief Secretary to relieve the officer from the HYDRAA Commissioner post.

For the State government, the challenge now extends beyond appointing a new HYDRAA Commissioner. The episode highlights the need for greater institutional safeguards, transparency in enforcement actions and strict adherence to judicial orders to prevent similar controversies in the future.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recognise the changing voice of the youth and not to underestimate the power of the youngsters as they were not afraid of CBI or ED.

Referring to the ongoing protests across the country, he alleged that the anger among students extended beyond the examination paper leak issue and reflected frustration over unemployment and unfulfilled promises made by the Centre.

KTR made these observations at a protest at Indira Park in Hyderabad, organised in solidarity with students and youth protesting against the alleged police crackdown on demonstrators in New Delhi over the examination paper leak issue.

He also questioned the Prime Minister’s silence on the examination paper leak controversy, asking why the government was unwilling to discuss the issue despite repeatedly speaking about education and examinations. He said the Centre should engage with students and resolve their grievances rather than branding protesters as anti-national or resorting to police action.

Demands

Condemning the police action against students in Delhi, he demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, withdrawal of criminal cases registered against protesting students and an apology from the Centre for the alleged excesses. “The youth is not afraid of CBI or ED that are used by the Government to threaten others,” he remarked.

KTR also criticised the BJP government’s employment record, alleging that the promise of creating two crore jobs annually had remained unfulfilled. Accusing the Centre of failing to ensure transparency in competitive examinations, he said students were demanding accountability and reforms in the education system. “Promising ‘Make in India’, this government had delivered ‘Leak in India’,” he said in a sarcastic tone.

Criticising the Telangana government, the BRS working president accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of attempting to obstruct the BRS from raising the issue. He questioned why the State government was allegedly targeting the BRS instead of joining other Opposition parties in demanding accountability from the Centre.

Mr. Rao said Mr. Reddy did not even join the protests of his [Congress] leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi indicating where his loyalties existed.

He asserted that the BRS, which had led the Telangana Statehood movement, would continue to stand by students and youth whenever their rights were threatened. He also said BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao was closely monitoring developments and would continue to support issues concerning students and young people.

BJP Telangana president N. Ramchander Rao alleged that the Congress government was planning to impose a heavier financial burden on residents of the Hyderabad capital region through the proposed municipal reforms.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s State office in the city, Mr. Rao claimed that the government intends to increase property taxes by at least five per cent and levy separate water and sewerage cess under the proposed Core Urban Region Economy (CURE) Act.

Strongly criticising the CURE Act and the Indiramma Housing Scheme, he said several provisions of the proposed legislation were aimed at “squeezing the public dry”. He termed the proposed property tax revision, based on registration values, an “outright tax extortion” lacking any scientific basis.

Mr. Rao said the BJP would strongly oppose the legislation in the Assembly, alleging that it undermines the spirit of the 74th Constitutional Amendment. He contended that the Bill lacks accountability and fails to clearly define the roles of corporators, ward members and other elected representatives.

Flays application fee for Indiramma Houses

Turning to the Indiramma Housing Scheme, Mr. Rao alleged that it had become a tool for financial exploitation. He questioned the decision to issue notifications for only 7,680 flats while collecting an application fee of ₹100 and an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹10,000 from each applicant despite the presence of lakhs of applicants.

“This is a conspiracy to collect nearly ₹1,000 crore from the poor,” he alleged, drawing parallels with what he described as the deposit collection exercise undertaken by the previous BRS government during its sheep distribution scheme.

Mr. Rao said that if the Congress government was genuinely committed to providing housing for the poor, it should ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive homes. He further pointed out that hundreds of houses constructed during previous governments in townships such as ‘Sadbhavana, Abhiman’ (Jawaharnagar), Pocharam, Chandanagar, ‘Saheera’ (Gajularamaram), Bholakpur and Jawaharnagar remain vacant.

The failure to repair and allot these houses to poor and lower middle-class families reflected the “utter negligence” of successive Congress and BRS governments, he alleged.

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Telangana government has launched the scheme for construction of Indiramma Houses in Hyderabad, Core Urban Region (CURE), on Monday (July 20, 2026). The houses would be built in high rise buildings.

Govt subsidy Rs 5 lakh, beneficiary contribution Rs 6 lakh tentatively

The carpet area of the proposed affordable houses (flat) is 400 square feet and built up area will be 528 sft. While the government’s subsidy will be Rs 5 lakh, tentative contribution of beneficiary is Rs 6 lakh (excluding the subsidy) as per the brochure with which has details on the eligibility criteria, application process, government subsidy and tentative contribution of beneficiary, location of the housing sites in 16 Assembly constituencies, selection procedure and other crucial details. It was released by Housing and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy along with Hyderabad in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Rangareddy in-charge Minister D Sridhar Babu, MLAs from from constituencies in Hyderabad and others. 

Eligibility criteria

As the official dommunication, applicants shall be a resident of Hyderabad( CURE) for last 10 years, the applicant or the family should not own a house, flat or plot within Outer Ring Road (ORR) or CURE area. The applicant should not have availed a similar housing benefit earlier. False declaration, suppression of facts or duplicate application may lead to rejection, as per the document. 

Rs 10, 000 EMD

The applications should be submitted through MeeSeva or WhatsApp with Rs. 100 application fee and Earnest Money Deposit of Rs 10,000. The application can be submitted through web portal as well. The applications would be accepted from Tuesday (July 21, 2026).

The Housing Minister said that the government will soon announce ‘good news’ for people from Middle Income Group (MIG) too.

Procedure

After scrutiny including checking documents and payment, a 360-degree verification will be taken up to check income, family details and duplicate applications. Thereafter, lottery will be held to select beneficiaries if demand exceeds available units. After provisional allotment, field verification and stage payments, registration will be taken over and the house will be handed over. 

Telangana Housing and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy speaking at the launch of Indiramma Houses in Hyderabad (CURE) on Monday (July 20, 2026)
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RAMAKRISHNA G

The Telangana government has appointed M. Satyanarayana Reddy (MSN Reddy), founder, chairman and managing director of the MSN Group, as Chairman of the Yadagirigutta Temple Trust Board. The appointment was notified through a Government Order (GO) issued on Tuesday (June 30, 2026).

The 19-member Board for the Yadagirigutta Devasthanam includes MLA Vinod Venkataswamy, Konidela Surekha, Chilappagari Vijayarajam, Vijayender Tulla, Pochaboina Eshwaramma Yadav, Gundu Mallaiah, Swathi Kantamani, M. Raghavendar Rao and Lakshminarayana Naik, besides the Founder Trustee and ex-officio members comprising senior government and temple officials. The tenure of the nominated members will be two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Mr. Satyanarayana Reddy founded MSN Laboratories in 2003 after a distinguished career in pharmaceutical research and development. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a global pharmaceutical enterprise with operations in more than 100 countries and 25 manufacturing facilities. The company has earned recognition for innovation, sustainability and workplace excellence.

The Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) conducted simultaneous searches at nine locations linked to Roads and Buildings (R&B) Engineer-in-Chief J. Mohan Naik after registering a disproportionate assets case against him.

The ACB teams carried out raids at Naik’s residence in Madhapur and eight other premises associated to him and his relatives. Officials are scrutinising documents, financial records and property-related papers recovered during the searches as part of the investigation.

According to sources, Naik is accused of allegedly favouring certain companies while awarding government contracts. The investigators are examining financial transactions and assets linked to the official and his family members to determine whether they are proportionate to his known sources of income. More details are awaited.

Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted simultaneous searches at nine locations linked to Roads and Buildings (R&B) Engineer-in-Chief J. Mohan Naik
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BY ARRANGEMENT