The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Friday approved several key measures aimed at strengthening Amaravati’s construction, expanding infrastructure, promoting tourism, and enhancing social welfare programmes.
The Cabinet gave its nod to the Land Incentive for Technical Hubs (LIFT) Policy 2024–29 and sanctioned multiple water resources projects. Financial assistance of ₹15,000 per auto and cab driver was approved, alongside the Caravan Tourism initiative and AMRUT 2.0 works.
Addressing the media later, Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said that in a major development for the Amaravati capital, the Cabinet approved land acquisition of properties not contributed through land pooling, enabling the CRDA to acquire the remaining plots under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
The decision would remove the roadblocks in the capital’s construction, facilitating faster development. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) would be set up to expedite key projects, including greenfield airports and riverfront development. The Cabinet also approved land allotments across the State and amendments to laws for leprosy eradication, electricity projects, and labour legislation, he said.
The Tourism Policy 2024–29 was expanded to include Caravan Parks and homestays, offering 100% life tax exemptions for initial projects and stamp duty incentives for park developers. Homestays under 1–6 rooms would be eligible under the policy, and owners must reside on-site.
The Cabinet approved a proposal to amend Section 19(1)(b) of the AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987 (Act No. 30 of 1987). The amendment seeks to remove the words “or suffering from leprosy” from the section, modernising the law and eliminating outdated references to disease.
The government also highlighted social welfare measures, including the Women Empowerment Scheme, benefiting 10 crore women, and the auto-driver support programme reaching nearly 2.9 lakh beneficiaries.
Mr. Parthasarathy said the Cabinet decided to abolish the long-standing two-child restriction for membership in management committees under the FMIS (Family Management Information System) Act, 1997.
The decision comes in the light of the State’s significantly declining fertility rate, which poses potential demographic challenges for the future. The two-child rule was originally implemented 28 years ago to control population growth. However, recent data showed that the State’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) dropped to 1.6, well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain population stability.
Officials warned that if the TFR continued at this low level, Andhra Pradesh could face serious population-related issues in the coming decades.
With the amendment, individuals who had more than two children would now be eligible to serve as members of FMIS management committees. The revision removed Sub-section 5 of Section 14 from the AP FMIS Act, 1997, allowing broader participation in committee management and governance. The move aligned with demographic trends and would ensure sustainable participation in local governance structures, while addressing the challenges posed by declining population growth, he said.
Mr. Parthasarathy detailed approvals for flood damage works at Prakasam Barrage and Diviseema, the Handri–Neeva lift scheme, and irrigation support for over 10,500 hectares in Anantapur–Uravakonda–Vajrakarur. The Cabinet sanctioned additional loans, network integration for A.P. Reference Stations, and green hydrogen valley development.
The Cabinet also approved restructuring some provisions in the AP-Transco, including transferring an additional ₹1,000 crore loan from the National Cooperative Development Corporation to Civil Supplies Corporation.
MoUs were signed to integrate A.P. Reference Station Network with the National Network Station. Approvals were also given to use electricity from the JSW New Energy plant at Jaladurgam for steel plant operations.
The State was set to develop a Green Hydrogen Valley, with a dedicated advisory council approved by the Cabinet. Amendments to the AP Assign Land-1977 Act were also cleared, facilitating land allotments to private parties, he added.
Published – October 03, 2025 09:34 pm IST
