AP Cabinet nods to ₹1.26 lakh crore investment proposals

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday took several key decisions, including giving its nod to investment proposals of Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) worth ₹1,26,748 crore.

The investments are expected to create direct employment for 40,330 people over the next seven years.

The other key decisions are four percent reservation for handicapped in jobs and promotions in all departments and expansion of Bhavanapadu Port.

Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, information minister Ch. Venugopala Krishna said the cabinet approved transfer of ₹4,700 crore on September 22 to YSR Cheyutha beneficiaries numbering 25 lakh. The scheme provides financial assistance of ₹18,750 each woman of SC, ST, BC and minority communities in age group of 45–60 years.  Under the Jala Jeevan Mission, the government has approved guarantee to NABARD for a loan of ₹4,020 crore towards implementing drinking water schemes in six districts.

Venugopala Krishna said the cabinet ratified the state government’s decision to grant probation status to employees of village and ward secretariats, ₹20 lakh to each secretariat for Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam programme, administrative sanction for one lakh houses under greater Visakha Corporation, including 3,750 houses in Anakapalle, and 21.30 lakh houses under Navaratnalu state-wide.

The information minister said the cabinet also cleared a degree college in Nandyal with 24 teaching and six non-teaching outsourced staff, tribal engineering college in Kurupam with 80 regular teaching and six regular non-teaching staff and another 48 non-teaching staff under outsourcing, a new college in Dornala of Prakasam district with 25 regular teaching staff and six non-teaching staff under outsourcing, and merger of municipal schools and staff with education department.

Venugopala Krishna said cabinet decided to provide 85 additional posts in GAD, change staffing pattern in AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad, government guarantee of ₹1,600 crore for creating basic amenities in Amaravati phase-1, relief and rehabilitation package to displaced persons of Paidpalem project on lines of the Gandikota displaced, and government guarantee for ₹1,000 crore SIDBI loan for secondary food processing units.

The information minister said the cabinet okayed setting up of permanent Lok Adalats in Nellore, Kurnool, Vizianagaram and West Godavari districts with staff of 40 members, exemption of stamp duty to Kia Motors, allotment of 30.32 acres near Tirupati to Oberoi group for a five-star hotel and convention centre, 134 acres of land in Kadapa for YSR Architecture and Fine Arts College, 1454.06 acres in Prakasam district for a solar power plant, and new revenue division with Chintoor as headquarter.

The cabinet also approved distribution of tabs with preloaded content to Class VIII students and tabs for 50,000 teachers at a total cost of ₹650 crore.