Kadapa Steel Plant to come near Jammalamadugu

Amaravati: Laying of the foundation stone for Kadapa Steel Plant on December 26 besides allocation of Rs 3,400 crore for full fee reimbursement were among the major decisions taken by the cabinet on Wednesday.

Speaking to media after the cabinet meeting, Minister Perni Nani said that the cabinet approved land allotment for Kadapa Steel Plant that would come up between Sunnapuralla Pally and Pedha Nandaluru villages in Jammalamadugu Mandal. The foundation stone wild be laid on December 26. The State would establish AP High-Grade Steel Corporation and acquire 3,295 acres of land for the steel plant. It was earlier agreed with NMDC for the supply of iron ore.

Cabinet approved separate commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the AP State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act will be amended to this effect.

It approved to allocate Rs 3,400 crore every year for 100 percent fee reimbursement under Jagananna Vidya Deewana. Compared with the previous government the YSRCP government has increased budget Rs 1800 crore for this scheme.

Government will allocate Rs 2,300 crore every year for Jagananna Vasathi Dewaana. Under this ITI students will receive Rs 10,000 every year, polytechnic students get Rs15,000, and Rs 20,000 for degree students as their mess charges. The amount would be paid in two instalments one in December and the other in July and will be credited to the mother's account of the student. Compared with the previous government the YSRCP government allocated an additional Rs 1500 crore for this scheme. In all, the government will spend about Rs 5,700 crore on these two projects.

Currently, there are 11,44,490 beneficiaries and the number may go up. The fee reimbursement is applicable to all those who have an annual income of less than Rs.2.5 lakh. The terms are revoked for farmers to avail of this benefit; for farmers, those who have wetland below10 acres, or for those who have drylands below 25 acres, or those who have below 25 acres including both lands are eligible for the fee reimbursement.

The scheme is applicable to sanitation workers' families irrespective of their income, and those who are professionally dependent on taxi, auto, and tractor excluding car. The income taxpayers are not eligible for this scheme.

The cabinet approved for YSR Kapu Nestam and women of age between 45 and 60 years from the Kapu, Balija, Telaga, Vontari, and sub-communities will receive Rs 15,000 every year i.e; Rs 75,000 in five years to promote their life standards.

Cabinet approved for setting up a Committee of Officers to advise the Group of Ministers on regularising outsourcing employees which will give its report by June 30, 2020.

Benefitting 2652 contract based Asha workers working under ITDA at tribal areas, the cabinet approved Rs 14.46 crore to increase their pay from Rs 400 to Rs 4,000.

New Rice cards will be issued revoking the previous eligibility criteria which will be having a monthly income of Rs.10,000 in rural areas and Rs.12,000 in urban areas.

The cabinet approved the decision to split the APSDCL into Andhra Pradesh Southern Distribution Company Limited and Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited.

The cabinet approved for accepting loans from banks through Andhra Pradesh Power Finance Corporation.

Navaratanalu's Pedhalandariki Illu scheme was approved by the cabinet to build 25 lakh houses by Ugadi for eligible poor.

For industrial waste management, the cabinet approved 50 acres of land for APIIC, at Paravaada Mandal, Thadi village in Visakhapatnam.

It approved the allotment of 92.05 acres of land to SCR for Nadikudi - Sri Kalahasti broad gauge line construction besides the draft bills to amend the AP Excise Act which enables the hike in liquor prices.

Endowment Department Act would be amended to increasing Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board Members from 19 to 29.