The State Cabinet on Tuesday approved works worth Rs 11,471 crore to be undertaken in Amaravati, which had already been cleared by the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) on Monday.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the State Secretariat, gave its consent to cancel the old tenders for these works in the Amaravati capital area and issue fresh tenders. Briefing the media on the Cabinet’s decisions, Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathi and Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana stated that the estimated cost for the works had increased significantly due to the previous government’s neglect, requiring fresh tenders.
Narayana said that the cost for constructing the 360 km-long trunk roads had increased by Rs 460 crore. He added that the works in Amaravati would include the construction of administrative towers, the Assembly building, and the High Court complex, for which tenders will be called by the end of this month. The initial budget for these structures was Rs 41,000 crore, but this has now risen by 30 per cent.
Parthasarathi further shared that the Cabinet had approved several policies aimed at improving the State’s economic condition.
These include policies on Andhra Pradesh’s Information Technology and Global Capability Centres, the AP Textile, Apparel and Garments Policy, and the AP Maritime Policy. The IT and GCC policy aims to transform the state into a global hub for the knowledge economy.
The Minister also emphasised that the government is committed to the ‘One Family, One Industrialist’ initiative. He stated that large-scale encouragement would be given for co-working spaces and neighbouring working spaces to create basic amenities urgently. “We are ready to offer substantial incentives to those who come forward for this,” he added.
Parthasarathi reiterated that the new policies aim to provide employment to youth and improve the state’s economy. This would also help every graduate achieve global-level skills and earn high salaries.
On the Maritime Policy, Parthasarathi noted that Andhra Pradesh, with its 975 km coastline, aims to become a globally renowned state. He expressed confidence that the state would soon overtake Gujarat to become the top maritime state, as per Chief Minister Naidu’s goal. The policy also aims to encourage the shipbuilding industry, with discussions underway to establish a mega shipyard in the state.
The Cabinet also approved the Water Resources Department’s proposals to adjust the costs of water supply projects in Uddanam (Srikakulam district), Pulivendula (YSR district), and Done (Kurnool district), which will resolve water issues in these areas permanently.
Additionally, the Cabinet endorsed the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Awas Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan schemes with the existing unit cost. It also approved the proposal to amend the name of the Andhra Pradesh Ayurveda and Homeo Medical Practitioners Act-1956 to align it with the provisions of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act-2020.
A new tourism policy was also approved to position Andhra Pradesh as a leader in the tourism sector, attracting large-scale investments. Furthermore, the Cabinet approved the policy to develop Amaravati as an electric mobility city, expecting Rs 30,000 crore in investments and the creation of 60,000 jobs. The government has already announced subsidies on the purchase of electric vehicles.
To streamline public services, the Cabinet cleared the proposal to implement Real Time Governance 4.0. It was also decided to observe December 15 as Self-Dedication Day to mark the death anniversary of the great Potti Sriramulu, with guidelines for organising the event across the state.
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