<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/46608636.cms" /> A much hullabaloo over <keyword id="6387077" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi-government">Narendra Modi government</keyword>’s <keyword id="513113" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="smart-city">smart city</keyword> project seems to have dimmed a bit. A report by The Economic Times confirms that an unsmart decision on the part of the government is affecting the execution of the prestigious project. Allegations of “conflict of interest” have left a heavy blow to the project, which resulted in a last-minute cancellation of its first major tender. 
 Sources have informed the ET that international consultancy firm <keyword id="6372399" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="McKinsey">McKinsey</keyword> had "unofficially" helped the <keyword id="162100" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Urban-Development">Ministry of Urban Development</keyword> in preparing the groundwork for the Rs 7,000-crore project and one of its consultants had even authored a key tender document. However, the firm itself wasn't barred from bidding for the tender and was apparently working on a bid when the tender was scrapped on March 9, barely 48 hours before the closing date. 
 McKinsey's role in the project came into light when the <keyword id="383250" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="National-Institute-of-Urban-Affairs">National Institute of Urban Affairs</keyword> (NIUA), which is responsible to implement the project, released the tender seeking request for qualification cum request for proposal on February 17. This was proven when the word file document uploaded on the NIUA website was found to be authored by McKinsey consultant Amit Gupta. The government's Central Public Procurement portal also has the same document. 
 
The tender was cancelled after the ministry and NIUA received several complaints about the "conflict of interest" and that the document was tailored to benefit McKinsey. 
 NIUA director <keyword id="74760" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jagan-Shah">Jagan Shah</keyword> admitted to the ET that he received calls and messages pointing out the possible conflict of interest, but said there was no written complaint regarding the matter. It was withdrawn since the "requirements for the project changed radically and the goalpost got shifted", Shah said. He said the document was written by "a Young Turk from McKinsey" and couldn't confirm whether McKinsey would have been kept out of the bidding process. 
 
A McKinsey spokeswoman, on being contacted by the financial daily refused to comment on the matter. 
 
A ministry source has informed that deficit of manpower made the officials seek help from McKinsey. An official defended the issue saying, “they are working pro bono.” 
 
Talking to The Economic Times, OP Agarwal, a former bureaucrat at the urban development ministry and now director-general of the Institute of Urban Transport, said seeking such unofficial help wasn't proper. 
 
"Sometimes, the ministries do take the help of private consultants to write project reports or draft RFPs, but then it is explicit that they cannot bid for the same," he added. 
 
(Image: India Times)

​Govt’s ‘unsmart’ tender decision, leads its ‘smart city’ project to a road block

Bapatla (<keyword id="37102" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="andhra-pradesh" source="Orion">Andhra Pradesh</keyword>) [India], December 5 (ANI): The severe cyclonic storm 'Michaung' is likely to make landfall today on the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh between Nellore and Machilipatnam, and moderate rainfall with gusty winds is being experienced in Bapatla district. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said "Severe Cyclonic Storm "MICHAUNG" over Westcentral Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts moved northwards with a speed of 07 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centred at 0530 hours IST of today, the 5th December 2023 over Westcentral Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh coast near Latitude14.9°N and Longitude 80.2°E, about 20 km east of Kavali, 50 km north-northeast of Nellore, 200 km north of Chennai, 110 km south-southwest of Bapatla and 170km south-southwest of Machilipatnam." It further said that <keyword id="19716567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyclone-michaung" source="Orion">Cyclone 'Michaung'</keyword> is likely to cross south Andhra Pradesh during the forenoon of December 5 with a maximum wind speed of 90-100 Kmph. "As the system is nearly moving northwards close to the coast, some parts of the wall cloud region lie overland. The system is likely to move nearly northwards parallel and close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla during the forenoon of 5th December as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph," the IMD added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke on Monday to the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry over cyclone 'Michaung' and assured all possible support from the Central government. In separate telephonic conversations with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, the Home Minister took stock of the situation in these states about relief and rescue measures as well as other steps to ensure no loss of lives and minimise the damage from the impending cyclone. In a post on 'X', Shah said: "Had a discussion with the Andhra Pradesh CM Shri @ysjagan Ji about the preparations concerning the potential landfall of Cyclone Michaung. Saving the lives of citizens has been our priority. The central govt is braced to provide all the necessary assistance to Andhra Pradesh. NDRF is already deployed and more teams are on standby to mobilize as needed." The Indian Railways has geared up its entire machinery in a big way to ensure and manage smooth and safe railway operations in the areas likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm 'Michaung'. The Indian Railways, as part of its preparedness for cyclone-related disaster management, has set up an emergency control cell at the divisional/HQ level with officers from operating, commercial, engineering, electrical, signal/telecommunications, security, etc. branches in each shift to monitor around the clock and take necessary action in connection with train operations. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, on Monday, made enquiries on the damage wrought by the heavy showers amid the approaching cyclone while also taking stock of the ongoing relief and rescue operations and the state's preparedness to deal with the immediate aftermath of the storm. Several trees lay uprooted as strong winds swept the state and the daily lives of locals were impacted as they had to grapple with extensive waterlogging and allied woes in the southern state. Public life was severely affected in Chennai as heavy rains lashed several parts of the city. Several areas, including Wallajah Road, Mount Road, Anna Salai, Chepauk, outside Omandurar government multispecialty hospital and other low-lying areas, were inundated due to persistent heavy rainfall. Chennai's popular Marina Beach was flooded in the wake of the downpours while roads linking Mount Road to Marina Beach were blocked due to severe waterlogging. (ANI)

Rain, gusty winds as Cyclone 'Michaung' to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh today

Amaravati(AP), Apr 26 () A staff nurse at Raj Bhavanin Andhra Pradesh tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday,official sources said.The woman was part of a medical team stationed at theGovernor's official residence in Vijayawada.She has been admitted to the designated COVID-19 hospitalthere for treatment, they said.A couple of more police stations in Vijayawada city alsowere affected as some officers and men got afflicted with thevirus, the sources said.Krishna District Collector A Md Imtiaz and VijayawadaPolice Commissioner Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao toured KrishnaLanka in the city, where some 24 people tested positive forCOVID-19 on Saturday.They appealed to people to strictly adhere to thelockdown norms and not to venture out of their homes toprevent further spread of the pandemic.Of the 177 Covid-19 cases registered in Krishna district,150 were in Vijayawada city alone, they said.Meanwhile, information received at the state headquarterssaid a woman police official, posted in a mandal borderingTamil Nadu, in Chittoor district contracted the disease onSunday.In Anantapuramu district, the two doctors and twoparamedics who tested positive for coronavirus early thismonth had recovered and been discharged from hospital.State Deputy Chief Minister (Health) A K K Srinivasvisited Srikakulam on Sunday to take stock of the situation asthree Covid-19 cases were suddenly reported in the district.Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy spoke to Union HomeMinister Amit Shah over phone and explained the steps beingtaken by the state government to increase the number of tests."With 1274 tests per million population, AP is top in thecountry. We are also effectively implementing the lockdown," aCMO release said quoting Jagan as telling Shah.The Chief Minister also announced payment of Rs 2000 eachto the Covid-19 patients discharged from hospitals afterrecovering.So far 231 patients were discharged in the state. DBVROH ROH

Staff nurse at Raj Bhavan in AP tests positive for COVID-19

<keyword id="37102" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh">Andhra Pradesh</keyword> has suffered agricultural and <keyword id="10261628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="infrastructural-damages-worth-rs">infrastructural damages worth Rs</keyword> 8,084 crore in the recent heavy rains and floods. "The estimated loss is about Rs 8,084 crore, of which Rs 5,000 crore occurred due to infrastructure damages. Also, agriculture and allied sectors suffered flood damage of Rs 3,000 crore as incessant rains occurred right before the harvesting period," said a <keyword id="611199" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="government-statement">government statement</keyword>. On Wednesday, the <keyword id="4066613" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-government-team">Central government team</keyword> which visited five districts to assess flood damages in the southern state called on Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. For the last two days, the team toured flood-affected East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Anantapur districts. On a request from Reddy, the team visited Anantapur, considering the groundnut crop was extensively damaged. Reddy requested the team to help as much as possible on humanitarian grounds to cope with the damage. He asked the team to relax frequently asked questions while buying damaged crops from farmers as they may suffer even bigger losses. The Chief Minister explained to the central officers that the state government has been providing input subsidy to farmers to cover up losses in the same crop season, even as the subsidy for Kharif losses between May and September has already been paid. Reddy appealed to the team to compensate the flood damages as soon as possible. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for deputing a central team to Andhra Pradesh. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/the-worlds-longest-flight-just-quietly-touched-down-in-new-york-heres-why-you-havent-heard-anything-about-it-/articleshow/79161300.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">The world's longest flight just quietly touched down in New York. Here's why you haven't heard anything about it.</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/samvat-2077-bharti-airtel-infosys-icici-bank-sbi-varun-beverages-and-can-fin-homes-stocks-are-among-the-top-diwali-picks/articleshow/79167128.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Samvat 2077: Bharti Airtel, Infosys, ICICI Bank, SBI, Varun Beverages and Can Fin Homes stocks are among the top Diwali picks</a>

You Searched For "Jagan Shah" and got 4 results

Govt’s ‘unsmart’ tender decision, leads its ‘smart city’ project to a road block

BI India Bureau

Rain, gusty winds as Cyclone 'Michaung' to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh today

ANI

Staff nurse at Raj Bhavan in AP tests positive for COVID-19

PTI

Andhra Pradesh estimates damages worth ₹8,084 crore due to floods, heavy rains

IANS

You Searched For "Jagan Shah" and got 4 results

​Govt’s ‘unsmart’ tender decision, leads its ‘smart city’ project to a road block

BI India Bureau

Rain, gusty winds as Cyclone 'Michaung' to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh today

ANI

Staff nurse at Raj Bhavan in AP tests positive for COVID-19

PTI

Andhra Pradesh estimates damages worth ₹8,084 crore due to floods, heavy rains

IANS

Govt’s ‘unsmart’ tender decision, leads its ‘smart city’ project to a road block