A five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee has been constituted to examine and come up with suggestions on tackling the drug menace in Andhra Pradesh, by the TDP-led State government at its first Cabinet meeting held here on Monday.
The Sub-Committee, headed by Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, will submit a list of comprehensive suggestions to the State government on how to crack down on the drug menace, including cultivation and smuggling of ganja, and ways to prevent youth from getting addicted to drugs.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat in Velagapudi after attending the meeting, Minister for Housing, Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Kolusu Parthasarathy said that the Cabinet had passed a resolution to publish seven White Papers, beginning June 28.
“The White Papers will be brought out on issues like the status of the Polavaram irrigation project, damage done to the Amaravati capital city project due to inaction by the YSRCP government in the past five years, the status of the electricity sector, unchecked sand mining and destruction to the environment, sale of liquor, and issues related to law and order and the State government’s finances during the rule of former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy,” Mr. Parthasarathy said.
DSC notification approved
The Cabinet approved the mega DSC Notification with 16,347 vacancies and assured to conduct Teacher Eligibility Tests (TET) every six months. It also approved the enhancement of social security pension from ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, abolished the Andhra Pradesh Land Titling Act introduced by the YSRCP government, and announced the reopening of 183 Anna Canteens from August.
In another key move, the Cabinet officially reversed the decision taken by the YSRCP government to rename NTR University of Health Sciences as YSR University of Health Sciences. Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had changed the name of NTRUHS to YSRUHS in a move that sparked a widespread outcry from the public as well as the alumni of the university. Now, the university has gone back to its earlier name of NTRUHS.
In view of diarrhoea incidents being reported from some places, Mr. Parthasarathy said that the Cabinet has instructed all local body authorities to ensure proper sanitation and supply of clean drinking water to the public across the State.
Social security pensions
The increased social security pensions will be distributed on July 1 across the State through the village and ward secretariat staff. The hike in pension will be retrospective for the last three months and the arrears will be paid along with the July pension, the Minister said. The government is yet to take a decision on retaining the volunteer system introduced by the previous government, he added.
The Minister said that the A.P. Land Titling Act was withdrawn keeping in mind the opposition to it by people across the State. “Though the YSRCP leaders were arguing that it was brought in by their government based on the suggestions made by NITI Aayog and the Central government, there were a lot of differences between what was suggested and the enacted Act. The YSRCP government had removed the jurisdiction of the civil courts, forcing forced landowners to appeal at the High Court for even petty disputes. The Act failed to specify who is the Title Registration Officer. Who will be appointed? Will it be an IAS officer, a judge or a ruling party person?” he added.
Skill training
The Cabinet passed a resolution to upgrade the skills of the youth by leveraging the high number of technical and skill institutions in the State. The skill development will be initiated for the agriculture sector as well, he said.
The Cabinet has also approved a proposal of appointing Dammalapati Srinivasa Rao as Advocate General of the State.
Published - June 24, 2024 07:21 pm IST
