AP to implement welfare schemes to beat poll code

Amaravati: With elections around the corner, the state government is making calculated moves in taking decisions pertaining to various welfare measures and promises made by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during the Janmabhoomi programmes.

The government wants to ensure that the schemes are implemented much ahead of the election code which is expected to be announced during March. Following this, the marathon cabinet meeting which lasted for over six hours on Monday took some important decisions, including announcing one DA to the government employees.

It has decided to hold special luncheon meetings across the state between February 1 and 4 to give pension cheques to beneficiaries as per the hike announced by the Chief Minister on Sankranti. There are about 54 lakh pensioners who have been getting old-age pensions, disabled, aged women and widow pensions.

During the recent Janmabhoomi meetings held in the state, the government had received additional 4.5 lakh new applications and of them 3.7 lakh have been identified as eligible. From February, 153.7 lakh people will get pensions. The government has also directed the Finance department to see that the increased pension was applicable from January1.

The cabinet also decided to gift cell phones to DWACRA self-help groups to empower them and encourage digital transactions. They will also be given Rs 10,000 in three instalments. The first instalment of Rs 3,000 would be given in cash between February 1 and 4. Along with that they will be given two post-paid cheques so that it will not be covered under the election code whenever it is announced.

Another important welfare measure cleared by the cabinet was health insurance scheme to handloom weavers. The cabinet decided to waive off life tax on tractors and autorickshaws.

As of now Rs 4,000 per year is being collected as life tax for auto rickshaws and Rs 12,000 per year for tractors is being collected. Henceforth, the government would reimburse that amount to the Transport department. It has also decided to continue with the incentives being given to IT industries.

Among other decisions taken by the cabinet are: to sanction Rs 60,000 per unit to 1,26,097 houses which were grounded without prior sanction from June 2014.

The state cabinet decided to formulate a policy to allot house sites for employees, including journalists in Amaravati capital. The journalists, who are not benefited earlier, are eligible for allotment of land or flat. Regarding settlement of dotted lands issue the cabinet decided to empower RDOs for verification.

According to official sources, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the officials to encourage the Industrial Training Institutes and polytechnic colleges by awarding accreditation and to train the students as industry ready. The cabinet decided to set up ITIs in Achanta (WG), Jaggampet (EG dist) and Narava of Visakha district.

It further decided to give promotions to 637 armed reserve constables, 545 AR head constables and Ar Assistant sub-inspectors and to create 9 registrar posts a proposed by Registrar General, High Court of AP with effect from January 1, 2019.