In a direct attack at the top Indian Information Technology firms, the United States has accused IT firms TCS, Infosys and CTS (Cognizant Technologies) of violating the H-1B Visa norms. An official in the Trump administration alleged that the companies are ‘putting extra tickets’ in the lottery system and thus ‘they will get the lion’s share of visas’. This was made at a White House briefing recently. And the officials said that the Trump administration wants to replace with a more merit-based immigration policy. All the three Indian firms refused to comment on the US administration comment.

“You may know their names well, but like the top recipients of the H-1B visa are companies like Tata, Infosys, Cognizant — they will apply for a very large number of visas, more than they get, by putting extra tickets in the lottery raffle, if you will, and then they’ll get the lion’s share of visas,” the senior official said, according to transcript of the briefing posted on White House website earlier.

Responding to a follow up on why Indian companies were singled out for a mention, the White House response said Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Cognizant were the top three recipients of H-1B visas. “And those three companies are companies that have an average wage for H-1B visas between USD 60,000 and USD 65,000 (a year). By contrast, the median Silicon Valley software engineer’s wage is probably around USD 150,000,” the official said.

He said contracting firms that are not skills employers, who oftentimes use workers for entry-level positions, capture the lion’s share of H-1B visas. “And that’s all public record.” The official said H-1B visas presently were awarded through random lottery with about 80 per cent of H-1B workers being paid less than the median wage in their fields. “Only about 5 to 6 per cent, depending on the year, of H-1B workers command the highest wage tier recognised by the Department of Labour, there being four wage tiers. And the highest wage tier, for instance, in 2015, was only 5 per cent of H1B workers,” he said.

He said workers are often brought in well below market rates to replace American workers, again, sort of violating the principle of the programme, which is supposed to be a means for bringing in skilled labour. “Instead you’re bringing in a lot of times workers who are actually less skilled and lower paid than the workers that they’re replacing,” he said. So if the current system that awards visas randomly without regard for skill or wage is changed to a skills-based awarding, it would make it extremely difficult to use the visa to replace or undercut American workers, he said.

YS Jagan’s visit to Mungalapalem in Chittoor district to console the families of the victims killed in a road accident had invited people’ wrath.

Nearly 20 people were killed in Road accident and 15 more seriously injured in the ghastly road mishap two days ago.

The village people expressed anger over YSR Congress party leaders and works for showing overwhelming enthusiasm by conducting rallies and celebrations during Jagan visit to the bereaved family residences.

Victim families objected Jagan for consoling them amid cheerful slogans by his party cadre. The families said they lost thier sole bread winners in their families and it was not good on part of the YSR Congress party to celebrate Jagan visit when pall of gloom descended on the village. They requested Jagan to leave the village immediately as they are still in deep shock.

Couple who wanted to register their marriage need not to visit Sub Registrar’s office to submit their applications. Putting an end to the existing cumbersome manual process, State government will introduce online registration of marriages soon in Telangana state.

Under the new system, people will have to submit applications and also get marriage certificates online. The bride and bride groom should upload applications on official website of the state Registrar Department along with all valid documents including Aadhar card. After receiving the date of appointment, couple will have to carry documents like proof of nationality, address, age, and marital status and Aadhar to get married immediately at the local registrar office.

The government has taken the initiative of online system to encourage people register their marriages in the government records as mandated by the Supreme court in a case recently.

The online system would also help to check multiple marriages in the wake of increasing polygamy cases in the state. All the data regarding the registered couple would help to cross check the marriage status of the online applicant. The new system would be introduced pilot basis in one of the registrar offices in Hyderabad and then extend the services to all sub registrar centres by the end of this year.

Hyderabad: Rebel poet Gaddar, who plans to float a political party in Telangana, has expressed his willingness to work with Jana Sena party of popular Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan.

Describing Pawan as a long-time friend, Gaddar on Sunday said he would consider working with him, after floating the political party.

The balladeer said he would also work to bring together the like-minded parties. Talking to reporters, he acknowledged that a lot is being heard in political circles about Pawan Kalyan’s party.

Pawan announced earlier this month that Jana Sena will contest the next elections in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

There is a buzz in political circles that Gaddar will play a key role in the actor’s plans for Telangana. Pawan has also dropped hints at working with the Communist parties, which have a support base in some pockets of Telagana.

The former Maoist, who plans to build an alternative political force representing ‘true aspirations’ of Telangana people and has good rapport with the Left parties, is expected to bring the parties closer.

Gaddar remarked that political power can’t be achieved overnight and that it needs sacrifices and struggle.

The poet, who had founded Jana Natya Mandali, the cultural wing of the erstwhile People’s War Group, said he had been carrying on his battle for 70 years.

Gaddar, whose real name is Gummadi Vithal Rao, is a critic of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government and believes that Telangana of the dreams of the martyrs is yet to be achieved.

He earlier planned to launch the political party on April 6 to coincide with the attack on him 20 years ago.

The Maoist sympathiser was shot by five unknown people at his Venkatapuram residence in Secunderabad on April 6, 1997.

He had blamed police and then Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government for the assassination attempt.

Gaddar claims to have formally severed all links with the Maoists to enter mainstream electoral politics.