AP cabinet approves PRC despite objections; offers sops

VIJAYAWADA: The state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday gave its approval to several recommendations including the 11 PRC fitment and increase in retirement age of government employees to 62 years. The decisions were taken despite threats of strike by employees union leaders opposed to both the steps.

The cabinet also approved the proposal for allotment of houses in Jagananna townships to government employees and decided to give 10 per cent plots in townships to them with a 20 per cent rebate.

Addressing a press meet after the cabinet meeting, information and public relations minister Perni Venkatramiah said the cabinet has discussed the third wave of Covid19, the steps taken for containing the spread, and of vaccinations to ensure zero deaths in the state.

He said the cabinet has approved the decision to raise the retirement age for the employees from 60 to 62 years and has given its nod for implementing the 11th PRC.

The minister said the cabinet has also approved a proposal for providing jobs on compassionate grounds to families of government employees who lost their lives due to Covid. Vacant posts in village and ward secretariats will also be filled based on the candidates’ qualifications and process the appointments would be completed by June 30.

The cabinet has given its green signal for reserving 10 per cent of the land in Jagananna Smart Townships for government employees, five per cent land for pensioners and offer a 20 per cent rebate on the rates for government employees. The government would start townships in every assembly constituency.

Nani said the cabinet has given its nod for the launch of EBC Nestam on January 25, where women aged between 45-60 years from unreserved castes will be receiving Rs 15,000 per annum as financial aid. For this, the government had identified 3.92 lakh beneficiaries and sanctioned Rs 589 crore.

 The state cabinet has given its in-principle approval for the construction of 16 new medical colleges at an expenditure of Rs 7,880 crore and the development of the existing medical colleges with a fund of Rs 3820 crore. It also sanctioned eight posts of additional director of medical education along with 78 posts in dispensaries under Ayush department. It also gave the nod for sanction of seven posts in the meat development corporation.  

The minister said the cabinet approved the government decision of calling bids for handling the operational maintenance of the Krishnapatnam Power Plant for 25 years in order to reduce the operational expenditure. The government would also provide an option for the Genco employees working in the plant to return to Genco.

Besides these, the cabinet also approved the agreement with Indigo airlines to operate flights from Kadapa and Kurnool airports -- four services a week starting from March 27.

The cabinet approved a proposal to utilize lands in Autonagar for multiple purposes keeping APIIC as nodal agency and to utilize the unused land in Rajiv Gruha Kalpa project in Visakhapatnam district for HIG and MIG colonies.