Andhra Pradesh Cabinet okays Masula port

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh Government has approved the DPR for the construction of Machilipatnam Port during a Cabinet meeting held here on Thursday.

Speaking to the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held at the Secretariat, Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu said a fresh detailed project report (DPR) for development of Machilipatnam Port was submitted to the state government and the Cabinet approved the Port project. As per the new DPR the port would be completed in 36 months at a cost of Rs 5,835 crore, he said.

In this context, the Cabinet discussed several key issues and approved the 'Jagannanna Chedodu' scheme, which will benefit small traders. The scheme would start on November 24th, he explained.

Similarly, the land resurvey project and a new sand policy was also approved. The Cabinet also approved allotment of 80 acres for the establishment of a medical college in Gajularega and 35 acres for the Paderu Medical College in Vizianagaram district. The Cabinet sub-committee also discussed the issue of free rice door delivery service in the meeting. Kannababu said that sand mining would be the first priority for government agencies. As per the new sand policy, he clarified that tenders would be called if government agencies did not come forward. 

Sand can also be booked online and offline, and customers can pick up the sand directly from the Sand Reaches in their own vehicles, he said.

The minister warned that strict action would be taken if sand was sold at rates higher than government prices. He suggested that people could complain to the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) about sand prices. "We have taken steps to further strengthen the SEB," he clarified.

He also spoke about linking the red sanders to the SEB Task force and also bringing gutkha, gambling and drugs under the purview of SEB.

Ration rice supply to households would commence from January 1 and a QR code on each rice bag would be there to prevent any fraud. GPS connectivity would be installed in vehicles supplying rice to curb smuggling or misuse.

He also spoke about strengthening the dairy industry and procuring more milk from the dairy associations run by women. He also mentioned that bulk-chilling centres would be set up in the villages for storing milk.