NDA govt to release white papers from today

Vijayawada: The first state Cabinet of the NDA alliance which met here on Monday finalised the schedule for the release of white papers on seven important issues starting from Tuesday.

The white papers will explain how the previous YSRCP government had caused damage to the works pertaining to the Polavaram Irrigation project, how Amaravati has been ruined, how largescale irregularities took place in the allotment of land, how mines were illegally exploited, how power sector suffered losses, how the law and order in the state was destroyed, damage done to environment and the faulty liquor policy which benefitted the ruling party leaders.

The Cabinet also endorsed the decision of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to hold a ‘Mega DSC’ to fill 16,437 vacancies, cancellation of Land Titling Act, enhancement of social security pensions, Skill Census and setting up of Skill Development Training Centres and re-opening of Anna canteens.

It was decided that all 183 Anna canteens that were closed soon after the YSRCP came to power in 2019 would be reopened in one go in August. Giving details of the Cabinet decisions, Minister for Information and Public Relations K Parthasarathy said the Cabinet gave its nod for enhancement of social security pensions from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 and that pensioners will get Rs 7,000 on July 1. This includes the enhanced pension arrears for the last three months.

He said the physically challenged pensions have been increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000. Likewise, total physically challenged pensions increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000. The pensions of those suffering from chronic diseases increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.

Parthasarathi said the Cabinet had also given its approval to set up Skill Development Training Centres in the state including for agriculture sector. He said the YSR Health University name will be changed back to NTR University of Health Sciences as students are suffering with change in the university name. Since the ganja mafia had a free run in the state during the last five years, the minister said it was decided to set up a four-member committee consisting of Ministers of Tribal welfare, Education, Health, and Excise to study the situation and recommend measures to curb the menace. It also approved the appointment of Dammalapati Srinivas as Advocate General.

The Cabinet also decided to take up sanitation works in panchayats and to fill potholes on roads immediately as temporary measure.