Vijayawada Briefs: APSC to Conduct Computer Proficiency Test in April

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APSC) has announced that the Computer Proficiency Test for the April 2025 session will be held on April 12 and 13, 2025, across four district centres in the state.

The test is mandatory for specific categories of government employees, including Panchayat Secretary Grade-V in the PR and RD Department, Village Revenue Officer Grade-II and Grade-I in the Revenue Department, employees appointed on compassionate grounds after May 12, 2014, Senior Assistants promoted from VRO Grade-I, and Compassionate VROs and in-service VRAs.

Testing centres will be set up in four erstwhile district headquarters: Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, and Anantapur.

Two engineers suspended for dereliction of duty

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has suspended two executive engineers from the water resources department for failing to report to their new postings.

Water resources special chief secretary G. Sai Prasad issued an order on Tuesday suspending Sugali Lakshma Naik, an executive engineer who was transferred and posted as deputy superintendent engineer at the dam maintenance circle office in Kurnool. He was previously working as DCE in the chief engineer (projects) office, irrigation department, Kurnool.

In another case, Mallikarjuna Sankarapu, an executive engineer, was transferred to the C and B division, Srisailam Dam East, under the dam maintenance circle, Kurnool. However, he failed to report to his new posting. He was earlier working in the K.W. Division, Tenali, under the irrigation and command area development department, Vijayawada.

GoM calls for measures to regulate essential commodity prices

Vijayawada: A four-member Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar reviewed the prices of essential commodities and directed officials to take measures to regulate them.

The GoM, comprising finance minister Payyavula Keshav, agriculture minister K. Atchannaidu, and health minister Satya Kumar Yadav, met on Tuesday to assess inflation in Andhra Pradesh, which has remained at 2.44 per cent for three consecutive months, lower than the national average of 3.61 per cent.

Officials informed the GoM that they are analysing prices from 154 mandal headquarters and 151 Rythu Bazaars daily through the CP app. From April onwards, they aim to ensure price monitoring extends to all 26 districts.

The ministers called for steps to stabilise the prices of rice, toor dal, cooking oil, tomatoes, and onions. They also directed officials to prepare a cabinet proposal to reduce the market cess on paddy from the current 2 per cent to 1 per cent.