The Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy cbinet in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday decided to increase the monthly pension for old-age people and widows from ₹2,500 to ₹2,750 with effect from January.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, state information minister Ch Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna said the decision would benefit 62.31 lakh existing pensioners, besides another 2.43 lakh new pensioners being added to the list of beneficiaries with effect from December.
He said after Jagan Mohan Reddy came to power in 2019, the pension amount was hiked twice – from ₹2,000 to ₹2,250 and later to ₹2,500. Now, it will go up to ₹2,750 and by next year, it will be raised to ₹3,000 as promised in the election manifesto.
The additional burden on the state government due to hike in pension would be ₹130.44 crore per month, taking the overall expenditure to ₹1,720 crore. With new pensioners joining the list, the expenditure would go up to ₹1,786 crore, the minister said.
The cabinet decided to revive the Chittoor dairy which was closed down during the previous Telugu Desam Party government. “The dairy would be handed over to Gujarat-based Amul. The cabinet decided to hand over the lands and other assets of the dairy to Amul on lease for a period of 99 years, which will fetch ₹1 crore per annum to the government in the form of lease,” he said.
The cabinet approved the Andhra Pradesh pumped storage power promotion policy as part of encouraging non-conventional energy development in the state. It has decided to give approvals to Adani Green Energy Ltd to set up 1600 MW pumped hydro storage project at Raivada in Vizianagaram district and Pedakota village of Alluri Sitarama Raju district.
Similar approvals would be given to Sri Shirdi Sai Electricals Ltd to set up 900 MW project at Somasila in Kadapa district and 1200 MW project at Erravaram in Alluri Sitarama Raju district. The companies setting up these projects would pay ₹2 lakh per MW to the state government, the minister said.
Other decisions on the day include amendment to the municipalities Act to conduct re-survey of lands, and setting up of Bapatla and Palnadu urban development authorities.
The Bapatla UDA will 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.
