AP cabinet approves old-age pension hike to Rs 2,750

AMARAVATI: The old age pension in Andhra Pradesh will be increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,750 on January 1, 2022. The decision was taken during the state cabinet meeting here on Tuesday, presided over by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

As part of its election manifesto, the YSRCP-led government pledged to increase the old-age pension amount to Rs 3,000.

The government increased the old pension amount to Rs 2,250 and Rs 2,500 in two instalments.

The increased pension amount of Rs 2,750 would benefit approximately 62.31 lakh pensioners, and the government would spend an additional Rs 130.44 crore per month and Rs 1,720 crore per year.

The state currently has over 62.31 lakh pensioners, with the addition of 2.43 lakh new pensioners in December bringing the total number of pensioners to 64.74 lakh. With this, the monthly pension expenditure would be Rs 1,786 crores.

The other key decisions were the installation of state-of-the-art teaching aids in the schools where the works had been completed under Nadu-Nedu Phase I.

The state government would install Interactive Plot Panels (IFP) in all high school classrooms, as well as Smart TV rooms in Foundation and Foundation Plus schools. Around Rs 300 crore would be spent on installing IFPs in 30,230 classrooms across 15,694 schools from class VII to X, and Rs 50 crore would be spent on installing 10,000 smart TVs in every school from class I to X.

The government would formally launch a programme to make tabs and e-content available to students in class VIII in government schools around the clock on December 21, 2022.

Around 4.6 lakh students pursuing class VIII and 60,000 faculty would be given the tabs with three years warranty at a cost of Rs 668 crores. In addition to this, Byju's content worth Rs 778 crore is also available for free. Other decisions include the approval of State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) nod for JSW Steel Limited's proposal to set up a steel plant in Kadapa at a cost of Rs 8,800 crore and for pumped hydro storage projects to be set up by Adani Green Energy Limited and Shirdi Sai Electricals.

The cabinet also approved the implementation of welfare schemes for all the poor under Navaratnalu were left behind earlier due to various reasons. On December 27, 2.51 lakh people would be benefited to the tune of Rs.403 crores. In addition to this, 2.63 lakh pensions, 44,543 rice cards, 14,441 Aarogyasri Cards, 14,531 house titles and insurance claims worth Rs.65 crores were sanctioned.

The Bapatla UDA would extend over 1301 sq.km. comprising two municipalities and 101 villages, while the Palnadu UDA will cover 7,281 sq.km. which includes 349 villages in 28 mandals of eight municipalities. The cabinet also approved the ratification of Welfare Calendar implemented in May and June 2022 in Agriculture, Cooperation and Fisheries Departments and irrigation water release schedule implemented earlier in the state for Kharif 2022.

The cabinet approved formulation of Andhra Pradesh Pumped Storage Power Promotion Policy-2022 to promote pumped storage and hydro projects in the state as part of utilization of non-conventional energy sources, new Animal Husbandry Polytechnic College to be set up at Santagudipadu in Rompicharla Mandal of Palnadu District, filling up of two radiographers posts in State Institute of Animal Husbandry (Tanuku), Area Veterinary Hospital (Gopalapatnam), Visakhapatnam under Animal Husbandry Department through APCOS in outsourcing mode.

Approvals were also given to amendments in Dr. YSR Free Crop Insurance and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana Scheme, Creation of 108 posts including 52 teaching staff and 56 non-teaching staff in the Mekapati Gautam Reddy Agricultural College established in Udayagiri, Nellore district, Changing the name of YSR Pasu Bhima Scheme (Live Stock Insurance Scheme) as part of National Live Stock Mission, increasing the capacity of Community Health Center in Sadum, Chittoor District from 30 to 50 beds and as part of this, 18 additional posts would be filled up.

The state government also decided to fill up the posts of three professors, three assistant professors, four professors, three associate professors and two assistant professors in the post graduate department as part of the program to provide the best education in NTR District Vijayawada Government Ayurveda College as per the guidelines of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine. Approval for the works undertaken under APMSIDC as part of Nadu-Nedu in the Department of Medicine and Health.

As a part of this, approvals were given for newly constructed and already in use medical colleges, multi specialty hospitals, super specialty blocks and cancer care centers. Proposals to set up multi and super specialty hospitals in the private sector in 16 municipal corporations, sanctioning of 40 posts of 20 teaching and non-teaching posts for each ITI along with setting up new departments in Minority Government Industrial Training Institutes at Adoni, Kurnool District and Rayachoti, Annamaiya District.

Creation of SE posts in Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) and Visakhapatnam Metro Region Development Authority (VMRDA). Amendments to Andhra Pradesh Right of Children to Pre and Compulsory Education Rules-2010 regarding School Education Department. Inclusion of Rule No. 30 to the Andhra Pradesh Right of Children to Pre and Compulsory Education Rules-2010. Creation of 55 additional posts under various categories in the newly established Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy.

Amendments to Andhra Pradesh Rights in Land and Pattadar Passbook Act – 1971. Allotment of government land for the establishment of various government offices in the newly established five districts. Allotment of 7.45 acres of land to Vishwamanava Samayyakita Sansad for the construction of super specialty block (mother and child care) hospital in Nadimipalem village of Prattipadu mandal of Guntur district. Allotment of the remaining 8.32 acres of land free of charge for the upgradation of Government Medical College and Government Hospital in Anantapur.

Allotment of 15 acres of land to IOCL on lease basis for setting up wind turbines in Gandikota, Jammulamadu Mandal, YSR District. Sanctioning of a Chief PRO post for giving publicity to some departments in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) and once again initiating milk revolution in Rayalaseema districts were among the decisions taken by the cabinet.