VIJAYAWADA: Ahead of the State Legislative Assembly session on Thursday, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy chaired the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday and approved a slew of decisions. The Andhra Pradesh Guaranteed Pension Scheme Bill 2023, which secured the Cabinet nod, will be tabled in the Assembly session on Thursday.
Announcing a host of sops approved for government staff, Information and Public Relations Minister Ch Venu Gopala Krishna told reporters, “It was decided that a permanent house site will be provided to the employees by the time they retire from service, and YSR Aarograsri scheme will be extended to the staff and their family members.” A total fee reimbursement scheme will also be introduced for their children, he added.
The Cabinet also approved the regularisation of contract employees, bills pertaining to amendment of AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad, Endowments, Prohibition of Transfer (PoT) of assigned lands and Private Universities, APGST and Bhoodan Acts, besides tabling of the Andhra Pradesh Special Security Group (APSSG) in the Assembly. Further, the 45-day Jagananna Aarogya Suraksha programme, scheduled to begin from September 30, was also approved.
Elaborating on the decisions, the minister said, “Regularisation of staff appointed before June 2, 2014, will benefit 11,633 contractual employees and an additional 11,633 people working with the Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhan Parishad.”
Amendment to the Private Universities Act will make it compulsory for all private institutes to tie up with the top 100 foreign universities and provide joint certification to the students. It will also help bring 35% of seats under the convenor quota in all private colleges, which will transform into universities.
The Cabinet has also decided to introduce the Jagananna Civil Services Incentive Programme and allot 50% of seats to tribal youth in Kurupam Engineering College. Under the programme, the government will award Rs 1 lakh to candidates who clear the UPSC preliminary exam and Rs 1.50 lakh for those who qualify for Mains.
It also approved a draft bill to build 8,424 houses for families displaced due to the Polavaram Irrigation Project, which requires an additional Rs 70 crore as per the 2016-17 price estimate.
A decision to allot a 10-cent house site and deputy registrar job in the Cooperative Department to deaf tennis player Jaffrin Syed was also approved. It also gave approval to the zero vacancy policy in hospitals.
Other key cabinet decisions
Nod to fill vacant posts in nursing colleges at Ongole, Eluru and Vijayawada
Construction of a convention centre on five acres in Vizag approved
Mercy plea of 9 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment accepted
Approval for shifting the Kakinada Bulk Drug project to Nakkapalli in lieu of the Centre’s decision to set up the project on government land
