Hyderabad: In a bid to modernise parcel services, South Central Railways (SCR) is set to launch a first‑of‑its‑kind Rail Parcel App to provide seamless door‑to‑door parcel booking and delivery. The app will be launched on February 25 at Rail Nilayam auditorium, Secunderabad, by SCR general manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava.
The Hyderabad division will be the first in Indian Railways to implement the pilot project. The digital platform integrates first mile (pickup), mid mile (rail transport), and last mile (delivery) into a unified system, making parcel movement simpler, faster, and more transparent.
The next‑generation app will serve as a one‑stop platform for booking, tracking, and managing consignments. It is designed to bring together industry, individuals, businesses, and logistics partners under a single digital ecosystem ensuring end‑to‑end convenience.
On this occasion, SCR will also sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bengaluru to conduct a comprehensive freight logistics market study aimed at enhancing freight traffic across its network.
100-day drive against child marriage
Hyderabad collectorate on Monday launched a 100‑day awareness campaign against child marriage through the Child Marriage Eradication Rath. Flagged off by collector Harichandana Dasari, the initiative promotes every girl’s right to education and safety. “Every girl deserves education, not early marriage. Let’s protect childhood,” said a press release issued by the collectorate. ENDS
Telangana families seek 20% budget for education
The Mothers’ Association, Telangana, has urged the state government to raise the allocation for school education in the 2026-27 Budget, in line with the 20 per cent benchmark as recommended by national commissions and the 15 per cent promised by the ruling Congress earlier.
At a press conference on Monday, members pointed out that the current share stood at 7.55 per cent. They said the gap has direct consequences for government schools, with most of the existing 7–7.7 per cent allocation going towards salaries, leaving little for facilities. “In one place there are 400 children and only six teachers here,” said Swami of the Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation (MVF), highlighting shortages.
According to their memorandum, the education share has fallen from 10.89 per cent in 2014–15 to about 7.5 per cent in 2024–25. Citing UDISE 2024–25 data, they noted Telangana had over 36,000 schools with lakhs of students enrolled, and argued that current funding is inadequate.
The group said inadequate funding has contributed to declining enrolment in government schools, with families making financial sacrifices to move children to private institutions. They called for filling vacant teacher posts, improving facilities, and compliance with Right to Education norms. The memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister also sought better monitoring and immediate attention to single‑teacher schools.
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