Cabinet Nod For Sthree Sakthi Free RTC Bus Travel And New Bar Policy
7 Aug 2025 12:44 AM IST7 Aug 2025 12:44 AM IST
The weekly state cabinet meeting on Wednesday gave its approval for the Sthree Sakthi free RTC bus travel scheme for women from August 15 and approval of the new bar policy.
Sthree Sakthi free RTC bus travel scheme for women from August 15 (Image:DC)
VIJAYAWADA: The weekly state cabinet meeting on Wednesday gave its approval for the Sthree Sakthi free RTC bus travel scheme for women from August 15 and approval of the new bar policy.
Information minister Kolusu Parthasarathi, who briefed the media on the cabinet decisions, confirmed that the free bus travel facility would start from August 15, Independence Day.
Women form 2.6 crore of the state’s population of 5.25 crore. Under this scheme, women, girls, and transgenders residing in the state can avail the free bus ride from anywhere to anywhere, on the PalleVelugu, Ultra Palle Velugu, City Ordinary, Express and Metro Express services.
To avail this facility, they need to show their ID proof -- Aadhaar, Voter ID or Ration card. This scheme does not apply to non-stop interstate bus services or any other categories of on road services. This also excludes contract carriage services, chartered services and package tours.
Bar policy: The council of ministers approved a proposal put up by the excise department to approve the 2025-28 bar policy based on the cabinet sub-committee recommendations.
Under this, 10 per cent of the bars out of a total 840 bars would be making contributions for the welfare of toddy workers, by way of payment of 50 per cent of their licence fee for this purpose. The licences will be effective from 1.9.2025 to 31.8.2028 and bar business hours have been fixed from 10am to 11pm.
The cabinet approved a proposal from the general administration department to extend for another year the present ban on the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and its frontline organizations, terming them as ‘unlawful associations’ under the AP Public Security Act, 1992, (Act No. 21 of 1992) Section 3 and its sub-clauses.
At the request of Nayee Brahmins, the council of ministers approved a proposal from the energy department to increase free electricity for hair cutting salons from the current 150 units to 200 units per month, for their social and economic advancement.
The cabinet meeting approved a proposal from the energy department to provide a government guarantee for the remaining amounts of `3544.57 crore to APSPDCL and `1029.37 crore to APCPDCL in lieu of counterpart & interim fund loans already sanctioned by M/s PFC Ltd for the timely and successful implementation of the revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS) with a 2 per cent guarantee commission in APSPDCL & APCPDCL.
The meeting also approved a proposal to repeal the AP Media Accreditation Rules, 2023 and replace it with the newly formulated Comprehensive AP Media Accreditation Rules, 2025.
By another decision, it approved school restructuring for merging grades 3-5 from 4,731 primary schools into 3,348 upper primary and high schools within a 1km distance, affecting 2,43,540 students.
The ministers approved a proposal by the industries and commerce department to allow APIIC to raise a `7500 crore loan for industrial development.
Approval was also given for a proposal by the revenue department to issue a preliminary notification to divide the Y Ramavaram mandal in the ASR district into two mandals -- Upper Y Ramavaram and Lower Ramavaram. Nod was also given to a proposal from the revenue department to transfer 81.227 cents of government land in LPM numbers 646 etc in Tammiganipalem village, Shantipuram mandal, Chittoor district, free of cost to the APIIC zonal manager, Chittoor, for setting up an industrial park.
The ministers agreed to implement the AP Land Incentive for Tech Hub (LIFT) Policy (4.0) 2024-2029. After the state bifurcation and loss of Hyderabad, this policy was formulated to utilise the infrastructure and talent in Andhra Pradesh, keeping in mind the need for starting new economic centres.
Women form 2.6 crore of the state’s population of 5.25 crore. Under this scheme, women, girls, and transgenders residing in the state can avail the free bus ride from anywhere to anywhere, on the PalleVelugu, Ultra Palle Velugu, City Ordinary, Express and Metro Express services.
To avail this facility, they need to show their ID proof -- Aadhaar, Voter ID or Ration card. This scheme does not apply to non-stop interstate bus services or any other categories of on road services. This also excludes contract carriage services, chartered services and package tours.
Bar policy: The council of ministers approved a proposal put up by the excise department to approve the 2025-28 bar policy based on the cabinet sub-committee recommendations.
Under this, 10 per cent of the bars out of a total 840 bars would be making contributions for the welfare of toddy workers, by way of payment of 50 per cent of their licence fee for this purpose. The licences will be effective from 1.9.2025 to 31.8.2028 and bar business hours have been fixed from 10am to 11pm.
The cabinet approved a proposal from the general administration department to extend for another year the present ban on the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and its frontline organizations, terming them as ‘unlawful associations’ under the AP Public Security Act, 1992, (Act No. 21 of 1992) Section 3 and its sub-clauses.
At the request of Nayee Brahmins, the council of ministers approved a proposal from the energy department to increase free electricity for hair cutting salons from the current 150 units to 200 units per month, for their social and economic advancement.
The cabinet meeting approved a proposal from the energy department to provide a government guarantee for the remaining amounts of `3544.57 crore to APSPDCL and `1029.37 crore to APCPDCL in lieu of counterpart & interim fund loans already sanctioned by M/s PFC Ltd for the timely and successful implementation of the revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS) with a 2 per cent guarantee commission in APSPDCL & APCPDCL.
The meeting also approved a proposal to repeal the AP Media Accreditation Rules, 2023 and replace it with the newly formulated Comprehensive AP Media Accreditation Rules, 2025.
By another decision, it approved school restructuring for merging grades 3-5 from 4,731 primary schools into 3,348 upper primary and high schools within a 1km distance, affecting 2,43,540 students.
The ministers approved a proposal by the industries and commerce department to allow APIIC to raise a `7500 crore loan for industrial development.
Approval was also given for a proposal by the revenue department to issue a preliminary notification to divide the Y Ramavaram mandal in the ASR district into two mandals -- Upper Y Ramavaram and Lower Ramavaram. Nod was also given to a proposal from the revenue department to transfer 81.227 cents of government land in LPM numbers 646 etc in Tammiganipalem village, Shantipuram mandal, Chittoor district, free of cost to the APIIC zonal manager, Chittoor, for setting up an industrial park.
The ministers agreed to implement the AP Land Incentive for Tech Hub (LIFT) Policy (4.0) 2024-2029. After the state bifurcation and loss of Hyderabad, this policy was formulated to utilise the infrastructure and talent in Andhra Pradesh, keeping in mind the need for starting new economic centres.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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