Andhra Pradesh cabinet has ratified the State Investment Promotion Board’s (SIPB) approval of fresh investments worth ₹19,037 crore in various sectors which will employ 69,565 persons.

In its meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in Amaravati on Friday, the cabinet decided to implement a new land allotment policy for setting up industries. It approved an allotment of 5400 acres of land for Ecoren Energy India Ltd to establish 902 MW solar energy plants in Nandyala and YSR districts and an additional allotment of 2 acres of land to MRK Group to establish hotels in Tirupati district.  It also approved a proposal to establish an 800 MW wind energy plant and allot another 100 acres of land to establish National Law University in Kurnool district. The government will undertake a comprehensive caste-based census. During the discussion on the issue, the Chief Minister said a caste-based census would help alleviate the lives of oppressed classes and take their social empowerment to the next level.

Appreciation from cabinet

The cabinet appreciated the Jagananna Aarogya Suraksha scheme as 11,700 camps have been conducted so far in which 6.4 crore medical tests were conducted. More than 8, 72,000 eye tests were also conducted with around 11,300 persons undergoing eye surgeries and eyeglasses distributed to more than 5, 22,000 persons.

The Chief Minister suggested all Ministers participate in Aarogya Suraksha which would be conducted from Jan 1, 2024.

The cabinet decided to undertake another public awareness campaign about the YSR Aarogyasri programme from November 5 to December 15 to help people download the Aarogyasri app and educate them about free medical treatment of various diseases being provided at the listed hospitals. The cabinet has also approved the allotment of lands for the construction of government offices in several districts and the allotment of industrial lands below 50 acres made by APIIC. It has permitted the APIIC to transform the 1200 acres of land allotted at Pudimadaka in the Anakapalli district for setting up a thermal power plant into a green hydrogen zone and raise ₹95,000 crore investments through NTPC.

Support from cabinet

It has agreed to provide a concession on payment of electricity duty by the ferroalloys industry which employs nearly 50,000 persons. It will impose a financial burden of ₹766 crore on the State exchequer.   It has also decided to provide a guarantee for securing a loan of ₹5000 crore for the procurement of Kharif paddy by Civil Supplies Corporation and MARKFED. Besides ratifying the DA hike by 3. 64 per cent for government employees and pensioners with effect from July 1, 2022, the cabinet has also approved the local cadre and direct recruitment draft 2023 under which the State would be divided into six zones. Except for the posts of departmental heads, commissioners and other state-level posts, 95 per cent of the appointments for other posts would be filled by locals, among others.