Cabinet Nod for 96 New Courts in AP
State Cabinet resolves to amend AP Reorganisation Act, clears court expansion, tax relief, mineral lease concessions and infrastructure approvals.
Vijayawada:The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday passed a resolution to grant statutory backing through the state assembly for Amaravati as the state capital. It also decided to set up 96 new courts to strengthen the justice dispensation system.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who chaired the meeting, directed the ministers to actively communicate the historical and developmental significance of Amaravati to the public.
The Cabinet gave its nod for a series of pivotal decisions ranging from establishing a record number of new courts, extending relief for the Vaddera community, giving a significant push for renewable energy and establishment of a legal framework for the capital city.
Briefing the media, information minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said the cabinet approved the introduction of a special resolution in the assembly to amend Section-5 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
The proposed amendments seek to explicitly include words, "at Amaravati", in the act, by defining the capital city as the area notified under the AP CRDA Act, 2014. This would provide clear legal legitimacy to the capital region.
With a view to addressing the mounting pendency of cases in courts, the cabinet gave its nod to establish 96 new courts across the state. This decision aligns with the Supreme Court’s directives to ensure no case remains pending for over five years and to maintain a ratio of 50 judges per 10 lakh population.
With pending cases in the state having crossed a staggering 8.9 lakh by 2025, the government decided to create 1,730 new posts for additional district, sessions and civil judge courts.
This is the first phase of a broader plan to meet the state's requirement of at least 1,420 to 1,500 courts.
The Cabinet approved preferential allotment of quarry leases to Vaddera societies, granting them a 50 per cent concession on premium amounts and seigniorage fees.
The move comes after the previous government’s 2022 auction system left over 300 Vaddera societies without a single lease for over two and a half years, impacting their traditional livelihood of road metal and stone breaking.
Under the new guidelines, 15 percent of the quarries (up to 12 hectares per society) would be reserved for them, with a strict prohibition on subleasing.
RENEWABLE ENERGY: To accelerate the state's green energy push, the cabinet cleared the allotment of government lands in Nandyal and Kadapa districts for wind and solar power projects.
In a significant policy shift, NREDCAP was designated as the nodal agency for Renewable Energy Manufacturing Zones (REMZ), replacing APSPCL, to streamline coordination with central agencies.
A major relief was also provided for the capital’s construction, slashing the administrative overhead charges for power line shifting from 15 per cent to 2.5 per cent for Amaravati works, bringing it on par with NHAI projects.
Addressing the rising concerns over student suicides and academic stress, the cabinet approved the draft of the ‘Andhra Pradesh Coaching Institutions (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2026’. The new rules mandate registration for all private coaching centres, enforce minimum infrastructure and safety standards, and, for the first time, make counselling services and mental health support compulsory.
District-level monitoring committees will be set up to ensure compliance.
