Appropriation Bill passed in Andhra Pradesh Assembly

Amaravati: The budget session of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly will go down in the history of the state as the shortest session. The session, which was adjourned sine die on Wednesday, lasted only for five hours and 58 minutes. During its session, the Assembly passed the Appropriation Bill, 11 new bills and four pending bills.

For the first time, the budget was passed without any discussion. Even the motion of thanks to the Governor was passed without any discussion.

Earlier, the House adopted a resolution opposing the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and said that the old format of NPR 2010 should be continued and not the revised 2020 format.

Moving the resolution, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Minority Welfare Amzad Basha said the NRC was creating fear among the minorities and the government should stick to the old format of 2010 and not the revised 2020 format of the National Population Register (NPR).

"The NRC is creating insecurity among the minorities and the voice of dissent was raised all over the country. However, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has always been safeguarding the interests of the minorities and I thank him for the same," Basha said.

The Cabinet gave its nod to the NRC (amended) and this resolution was based on the Cabinet approval, said the Deputy Chief Minister.

On the first day of its session on Tuesday, the Assembly passed the budget for 2020-21 which was due in February.

Apart from the budget, many other bills, including the AP CRDA Repeal Bill 2020 and AP Decentralization and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020, were passed.

The two bills are intended to realise the 'three capitals' formula.

The bills were introduced and passed in the previous Assembly session but faced an obstacle in the Legislative Council, where the ruling YSRCP does not have majority. The TDP, which wants Amaravati as sole capital, had halted these bills in the council.

The YSRCP government reintroduced these bills and got them passed in the Assembly.

Ten more bills proposing amendments to various Acts were passed by the House. They include amendments to the AP Endowments Act, AP Higher Education Regulation and Monitoring Commission Act, AP VAT Act, Prohibition of Liquor Act,

Municipal Corporations and Municipalities Act, Panchayat Raj Act, Excise Act, and GST Act.

The House condoled the death of former members who passed away during the intervening period of the Assembly sessions and observed two-minute silence. The departed members include Dr B Sundararami Reddy, Dr A Eswar Reddi, Matta Venkataramana, Rani Sundarammani, Perla Siva Reddy, Y Raja Ramachandar and Shaik Nazar Vali.