Finance Ministry agrees for hike of wages to Home Guards

Amaravati: Finance Ministry has given clearance to enhance the wages of home guards. In the pre-budget review meeting with ministers and officials of various departments, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu responded to the appeal of Principal Secretary for Home department A R Anuradha and DGP M Malakondaiah on home guards’ wages. He suggested them to submit proposals on enhancement of wages to home guards.

The Minister also informed that matching grants would be released to the construction of forensic science lab in Amaravati and jails in districts. The officials requested Yanamala to allocate funds to construction of new police stations and other infrastructure and also funds for greyhounds, Octopus and intelligence units in the coming budget.

Energy Minister Kala Venkata Rao asked Yanamala to pursue the reimbursement of funds that were spent for implementation of free electricity and clear electricity bills of local bodies.  AP Genco CMD Dinesh Parchuri told the Minister that the Genco could have reduced loses by Rs 1,500 crore in the present financial year.

Endowment Minister P Manikyala Rao wanted the Finance Minister to allocate Rs 90 crore to Brahmin Corporation while Revenue Minister K E Krishna Murthy explained the scarcity of surveyors and wanted outsource the staff to fill up the posts. 

Yanamala questioned forest department officials for not achieving the revenue targets and asked the details of income generated through selling red-sandal wood. He directed to take steps to prevent Ganja cultivation in agency areas.

He congratulated the Excise department for exceeding the revenue targets. Excise commissioner requested the Minister for funds to create infrastructure for Eexcise police stations and purchase of vehicles. Yanamala also congratulated the Mines department for achieving income more than the targets. Principal secretaries D Sambasiva Rao, M Ravichandra  and B Sreedhar participated.