AP Cabinet Clears Key Projects on Jobs, Industry and Infrastructure

Vijayawada:The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Friday approved a series of proposals aimed at boosting infrastructure, promoting industrial investment and strengthening welfare initiatives across the state.

Information and public relations and housing minister Kolusu Parthasaradhi briefed the media on the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting.

Among the major decisions, the Cabinet approved the construction of a Telugu Cultural Centre in Amaravati to promote Telugu language, arts and heritage. The government also cleared a major employment generation scheme to support micro-entrepreneurs and sanctioned funds for drinking water and irrigation projects.

The Cabinet approved the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Employment Generation Programme (AP-CMEGP) with an outlay of ₹300 crore. The scheme aims to support 3,500 micro-entrepreneurs in setting up manufacturing units in 175 MSME parks, creating about 17,000 jobs over the next four years.

To facilitate industrial investments, the Cabinet decided to remove 66,157 acres of land allotted by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) from the prohibitory list under Section 22-A of the Registration Act. Another 3,803 acres will be removed after industrial units complete construction.

In addition, about 51,603 acres of government and other lands will be mutated in APIIC’s name in revenue records to enable industries to mortgage land for bank loans and speed up project implementation.

The Cabinet also sanctioned ₹2,316.88 crore for electrical, HVAC, fire protection, lifts and plumbing works in the Integrated AP State Secretariat and Heads of Department towers in Amaravati.

Under Mission Shakti, the Cabinet approved the Sakhi Nivas scheme, under which 30 working women’s hostels with crèche facilities will be established across the state.

For tribal farmers holding forest rights pattas, the Cabinet approved enhanced support under the Per Drop More Crop programme, offering 100 per cent subsidy for drip irrigation and 90 per cent subsidy for sprinkler irrigation in eight districts.

The Cabinet also approved seven major multi-village drinking water schemes worth ₹9,355 crore to supply safe drinking water to about 65 lakh people across 76 mandals. In addition, ₹1,814.71 crore was sanctioned for 3,000 works to provide drinking water to water-scarce habitations in 112 rural constituencies.

Several land allotments were approved, including sites for Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in NTR district, Nuzvid and Palasa. Land was also cleared for tourism infrastructure in Chittoor district, a luxury resort project in Bapatla, and 424.45 acres in Kadapa district for an integrated steel plant proposed by JSW Steel.

To accelerate the Polavaram irrigation project, the Cabinet approved additional expenditure of ₹23.47 crore and ₹24.51 crore for tunnel works and gantry installations under the headworks package.

Other decisions included the creation of an Additional Commissioner (ST) post in Visakhapatnam to speed up GST appeals, adoption of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, incentives for Heritage Foods’ ₹209.68-crore dairy expansion in Tirupati district, and power line adjustments for the Bharatmala West Bypass road project near Vijayawada.