VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved setting up of AP Medical Education and Research Corporation (APMERC), third phase of Rythu Bharosa, apart from several other benefits and concessions.
The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, also okayed release of Rs. 1,009 crore, which will be directly deposited into the bank accounts of 54.47 lakh farmers under Rythu Bandhu.
Briefing media about decisions of the cabinet meeting, information minister Perni Venkatramaiah alias Nani said APMERC will be set up over 40 acres in Tirupati. He said decisions have also been taken with regard to restarting of hotels, restaurants, and tourism and cine projects, apart from modalities of administering Corona vaccine to people of the state.
Nani said the cabinet approved release of input subsidies to farmers who have suffered crop damage due to Nivar Cyclone from November 24–28 and on December 29. The state government has estimated that 8,06,504 farmers suffered losses over 13,01,000 acres, of which 12,38,000 acres involves paddy and 70,000 acres horticulture crops. Rs. 718 crore of input subsidy will be released to these farmers on December 29, within a month of the natural calamity, the minister maintained.
He said through APMERC, the government will spend Rs. 16,000 crore for strengthening the existing 11 medical colleges, apart from construction of 16 new medical colleges across the state.
Nani said in all, incentives worth Rs. 400 crore will be provided to tourism projects, including some mega ones. He explained that these incentives include 100 percent subsidy in SGST, 100 percent reimbursement of stamp duty, electricity at Rs. 2 per unit and 100 percent waiver of land use conversion charges. He further announced that the cabinet okayed increasing the period of leasing land from 33 years to 99 years for mega tourism projects.
The minister said responding to hospitality sector’s plight, the cabinet has approved Rs. 198.50 crore relief for restarting of hotels, function halls and restaurants, which have been in crisis due to outbreak of the pandemic. Loans ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 50,00,000 will be provided to each unit with moratorium of six months on payments, apart from 4.5% of interest subsidy for the first year.
Nani said the cabinet has okayed conducting of a comprehensive land resurvey in Andhra Pradesh from December 21, 2020. The cabinet has made five amendments to Andhra Pradesh Survey and Boundary Act 1923. Resurvey of land will be carried out accordingly. Maps will be made available for every piece of land based on its subdivision. Boundary of the land will be tagged with GPS coordinates, he added.
