The passport office in Hyderabad reported the highest number of passport applications recorded in Indian history (at least 450,000) and it expects an increase of 15-20% this year Jamuna Kunta sits stiffly in a plush red chair at the Hyderabad press club, holding her head proudly erect as she quietly recounts the events leading to her husband’s suicide in Dubai. A farmer from Karimnagar, a rural district in Andhra Pradesh, her husband...

The government plans an umbrella law to tighten financial scrutiny and regulation of religious trusts and non-profit organisations as it looks to allay global concerns about money laundering and terrorist financing activities by such entities. It is also likely to make public names of organisations that claim tax exemption to ensure greater transparency. Some of India's religious trusts are among the richest in the world. Last year, Tirumala temple, managed...

After finishing top in 2010, Nizamabad slipped to fourth place behind Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the state this year. The NREGS works suffered a big setback this year due to non-cooperation movement conducted by Telangana employees' association demanding introduction of separate T state Bill in the Parliament from February 17 to March 4. Sources said hectic agricultural activity...

The provisional census 2011 has recorded the population of Arunachal Pradesh at 13,82,611, comprising 7,20,232 males and 6,62,379 females. According to to the latest census, the state has registered an overall growth of 25.92% during 2001-2011. The growth rate is higher than the national average of 17.64%. The state has added 2,84,643 persons in the decade. Papum Pare came up as the most populous district with 1,76,385 population followed by Changlang...

Records second lowest literacy rate in the country The sex ratio in Arunachal Pradesh has improved to 920 females per 1000 males, up from 893 a decade ago, as per the provisional census report of 2011. The lowest sex ratio is in Tawang where the number of females was only 701 against 1,000 males though for the 0—6 years age group the number is 1,005. The provisional report, released here on Tuesday, put...