NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh cabinet has approved the allotment of 15,091 houses in the year 2018-19 under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)-NTR (Urban) Nagar Housing scheme.
In a cabinet meeting held on Thursday afternoon at the Secretariat, it was decided that if the houses allotted in rural areas from 1993-94 to 2006-07 are in poor condition, the people will be allotted new houses under NTR Rural Housing program, under some terms and conditions.
The State government also decided to pay dearness allowance at revised rates to the government employees and pensioners. The revised rates will be applicable from 7th January 2017 and will cost Rs. 627 crore to the State.
A draft bill to set up an AP maritime board for the development of seaports in the State and to look after their administration was approved. The proposal of revising exclusive limits of Krishnapatnam port was also approved.
Andhra Pradesh cabinet also took important decisions to give a boost to the aviation sector in the State and approved incentives for Indigo airline to run two return flights per week through the Vijayawada-Singapore route. The Vijayawada-Puttaparthi flight services were granted approval along with a nine-seated aircraft through Vijayawada-Nagarjuna Sagar route.
The cabinet also sanctioned the proposal to revise the terms and conditions of previous agreement to get a credit of Rs. 1,385 crore from open market for development of Machilipatnam deepwater port and industrial corridor.
It also decided to give a one-year subsidy of Rs. 2 per unit for power tariff to the aqua farmers, with effect from 1st August 2018. The subsidy is expected to benefit 94,913 farmers. The time limit for exporting red sanders to Patanjali Ayurved was also extended for three more months.
To further boost the education sector in the State, the cabinet also agreed to make “International Institute of Digital Technologies” as section 8 company, allocating Rs. 97.5 crore for the next 2 years, for investment and investment expenses.
Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada was also allotted a paediatrics section and it was decided that Andhra Pradesh Medical and Dental Institutions will be given semi-autonomous status. The NTR Cancer Care Project to be set up with Tata Trust was also granted approval.
During the meeting, the government also announced that an unemployment allowance scheme will be launched on 14th September and the list of beneficiaries will be finalized by 2nd October. Cabinet also decided to set up an Arya Vysya Welfare and Development Corporation for granting loans to the Vysya community for self-employment, financial aid and foreign education.