Union minister for coal and mines G Kishan Reddy on Monday asked the Telangana government to enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in the wake of rapidly increasing power demand in the state, which crossed 18,000 MW mark last week.. G Kishan Reddy (ANI). In a letter addressed to chief minister A Revanth Reddy, Kishan Reddy said the second phase of 3×800 MW thermal power plant of NTPC, coming up at Ramagundam in Peddapalli district would help meet Telangana’s growing electricity demand while ensuring supply of quality power at a lower cost.. Telangana recorded peak electricity demand of 18,139 MW, registered at 11.01 am on March 3, which was the highest peak demand ever recorded in the history of Telangana, state deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who holds the portfolio of energy, said in a statement.. Vikramarka said Telangana was emerging as a state with high electricity consumption density due to rapid expansion in IT, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and irrigation sectors. Earlier, the state had recorded a peak demand of 15,623 MW on March 8, 2024 and 17,162 MW on March 20, 2025.. “Telangana is not only meeting current demand but is also fully prepared for upcoming summer peak requirements with advance planning. A robust grid system, forward-looking strategy, and coordinated operations are our strengths,” the deputy chief minister said.. Referring to Vikramarka’s statement, Kishan Reddy said in his letter that the electricity demand was expected to rise further in the coming years. He said the deputy chief minister himself had acknowledged the need to add 5,000 – 6,000 MW of thermal power generation capacity to maintain grid stability in line with national energy goals. “The demand could reach nearly one lakh MW by 2047,” the Union minister pointed out.. He recalled that as part of the first phase of the planned 4,000-MW thermal power project at NTPC, Ramagundam, had already established two thermal power units with a combined capacity of 2×800 MW (1,600 MW) at a cost of about ₹12,000 crore using advanced ultra-supercritical technology. The project was dedicated to the nation in 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.. Following the completion of phase-I, NTPC has initiated steps to implement phase-II, which proposes three additional units of 800 MW each, adding 2,400 MW of generation capacity. As in the first phase, 85% of the power generated from phase-II will be supplied exclusively to Telangana, he said.. He requested the chief minister to facilitate a PPA between the Telangana government and NTPC for the 3×800 MW Phase-II project at Ramagundam.. Kishan Reddy said the NTPC has extensive national experience in establishing thermal power projects at low cost using advanced ultra-supercritical technology. “If NTPC is given adequate flexibility to secure coal supplies for the full 5×800 MW project, the company is ready to produce electricity at compet 

 The Supreme Court on Monday accepted the Union government’s proposal to allow retiring tribunal members and heads to continue for another six months as a stop-gap arrangement, even as the Centre said it was contemplating a law to govern future tribunal appointments.. Supreme Court okays 6-month extension for retiring members of tribunals. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant passed the order on a bunch of petitions filed by bar associations of various tribunals, raising concerns over the large number of vacancies threatening to make these forums defunct.. Attorney general R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, told the court that a new law is being contemplation and will be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session. To ensure the functioning of tribunals is not impacted, he proposed a one-time measure to allow all retiring heads and members of tribunals to get an extension of tenure till September 8.. “We have taken stock of all tribunals to come out with this working arrangement. A bill is in contemplation and is likely to be introduced in the monsoon session. Till then, everybody appointed under the TRA (Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021) will continue,” he said.. In November last year, the top court struck down key provisions of the TRA, including the uniform four-year tenure for tribunal members and the minimum entry age of 50 years — measures the court found arbitrary and damaging to judicial independence.. “In view of the decision, in principle, having been taken to extend the tenure of presently serving chairpersons or members till September 8, 2026 or until they attain maximum age prescribed under TRA 2021, we permit the Government of India to proceed accordingly,” the bench, also comprising justice Joymalya Bagchi, said.. The court said increasing tenure is not sufficient as the legislative policy should include a mechanism to assess the performance of tribunal members. “Why should extension be given when there is no mechanism to assess their performance. On one hand, you cannot have tribunals functioning under government control since there will be interference. You also cannot put them under the judiciary’s control either,” it added.. On February 26, the court underscored the continuing dysfunction within tribunals and flagged instances where technical members were allegedly not writing judgments, leaving judicial members to shoulder the burden. “There should be an immediate mechanism to make these members accountable. If they are capable, they must continue to perform,” the bench noted, asking the Centre to devise a solution.. The bar association of the central administrative tribunal (CAT), represented by senior advocate Sanjay Jain, said that in 2026, about 31 members will be retiring. He said the past judgments of the court have said that a member should be given a secure tenure of five years. He added that a six-month extension was not a solution as there was growing uncert 

 The Gurugram Police on Monday have arrested two people, including a woman, in connection with an attack on a patient undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital, police said.. According to the police, the accused woman, identified as Sakshi, 30, a resident of Rewari district, revealed that, mistaking the patient for her husband’s girlfriend, she threw toilet cleaner at her. (HT Photo/Subhash Sharma). The accused, identified as Pawan, had assaulted his live-in partner on March 9, following which she was undergoing treatment at the civil hospital, they said.. While another woman, mistaking the patient to be her husband’s girlfriend, had thrown toilet cleaner at her, they said, adding that the police are questioning both the accused.. A 30-year-old woman suffered severe burns on her face and body after a corrosive substance was allegedly thrown at her in the civil hospital. Later, she was referred to PGIMS, Rohtak, they said.. According to the police, the accused woman, identified as Sakshi, 30, a resident of Rewari district, revealed that, mistaking the patient for her husband’s girlfriend, she threw toilet cleaner at her.. The police also arrested the accused Pawan, a resident of Rewari, who had lived with the victim woman in a flat in Sector 72 area in a live-in relationship.. “During interrogation, it was revealed that Sakshi had a fight with her husband’s female friend Meenkashi, who was admitted for treatment in the civil hospital,” the spokesperson of Gurugram police said.. Sakshi, after seeing the scarf/cloth (mistaking it to be Meenakshi), threw toilet cleaner on her, he added.. The complainant had registered the case naming Pawan, but till now his role has not been revealed, he said, adding that a further probe is underway. 

 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., — A former Missouri House speaker was sentenced Monday to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud for misusing federal COVID-19 relief funds for his personal benefit.. Former Missouri House speaker sentenced to prison for COVID relief fraud. Former Republican House Speaker John Diehl received about $380,000 in federal loans for his law firm between 2020 and 2022 through a program intended to help cover operating expenses for businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.. But Diehl admitted in a September plea agreement that he instead used the money for personal expenses, including country club dues, swimming pool maintenance, his home mortgage and vehicle payments for a Tesla, Audi and Jeep. Prosecutors said he used more than half the money to fund his law firm’s defined benefit plan, of which he was the only participant, and also paid off a civil settlement related to his time as state House speaker.. Diehl resigned as House speaker in 2015 after The Kansas City Star reported that he had exchanged sexually suggestive text messages with a college student serving as a Capitol intern. At the time, Diehl acknowledged “making a serious error in judgment by sending the text messages.”. In 2023, the Missouri Ethics Commission imposed a roughly $47,000 fine on Diehl for campaign finance violations, including allegations that he used nearly $6,800 of campaign funds to pay for personal expenses.. Diehl had asked the federal court to spare him from prison, noting that he had already paid back all the pandemic relief funds to the Small Business Administration.. The U.S. attorney’s office had recommended a prison sentence of 21 to 27 months. In addition to prison time, the court on Monday ordered Diehl to pay a $50,000 fine.. “Through his education and public office, Defendant had every privilege and opportunity, and to put it bluntly, he knew better than to engage in the charged fraud scheme,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said of Diehl in a court filing.. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. 

 Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia and developing oil crisis, India has called for an increase in production for LPG for domestic use. In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), oil refineries have been ordered to increase production.. Government sources told news agency ANI that refineries have been ordered by the government to increase LPG output (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo). “In light of current geopolitical disruptions to fuel supply and constraints on supply of LPG, Ministry has issued orders to oil refineries for higher LPG production and using such extra production for domestic LPG use,” the statement issued on X read.. Also Read | Crude oil spike triggers LPG panic in India; rules tweaked, people gather at outlets as West Asia war has global effect. “The ministry has prioritised domestic LPG supply to households and introduced 25 day inter- booking period to avoid hoarding/black marketing. Non domestic supplies from imported LPG is being prioritised to essential non domestic sectors such as Hospitals and Educational institutions,” the union ministry added further.. MoPNG further added that a committee of three EDs of OMCs has been constituted to review the production of LPG supply to restuarants, hotels and other non-domestic sectors.