VIJAYAWADA: On Thursday, the Andhra Pradesh cabinet approved a draft resolution set to be presented in a special assembly session on Saturday concerning Amaravati, the state capital. This resolution seeks to urge the Union government to amend the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act (APSR) 2014 to designate Amaravati as the official capital.
The proposed resolution aims to modify Section 5(2) of APSRA by substituting the phrase “there shall be a new capital for the state of Andhra Pradesh” with “the new capital for the state of Andhra Pradesh shall be Amaravati.” The amendment will also define Amaravati in the explanatory section as the area specified under the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Act (APCRDA) of 2014.
Minister for Information and Public Relations (I&PR), Kolusu Parthasarathi, stated that the assembly resolution aims to safeguard the capital city from being altered with a change of government. He mentioned that a resolution was previously passed by the cabinet in 2025 requesting an amendment to APSRA. However, based on legal advice and insights from the Union government, this assembly resolution is intended to solidify Amaravati’s status as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh, addressing concerns raised during the YSRCP regime.
Among other decisions made by the cabinet, permission was granted for SRM University to construct academic buildings with a maximum height of 60 meters, contingent upon adhering to the fire and life safety standards stipulated in the AP Fire Services Act. The cabinet also approved a proposal to establish 96 new courts along with the creation of 1,730 positions across various judicial tiers, incorporating the newly established judicial officer posts into the sanctioned cadre.
Additionally, the Industries and Commerce Department received cabinet approval for guidelines facilitating preferential allotment of quarry leases to Vaddera societies, which will include a 50% reduction in premium and seigniorage fees. This was a commitment made by Minister Nara Lokesh during his Yuvagalam Padayatra.
A proposal from the municipal administration and urban development department seeking approval for a one-time waiver of interest on property tax arrears for 2025-26 in municipalities and municipal corporations was also greenlit by the cabinet.
In the water resources sector, the cabinet approved administrative clearances and revised estimates for HNSS Phase-I and Phase-II projects, allocating ₹606 crore. Other approvals included operational and maintenance funds for lift irrigation schemes in Kurnool district (₹44 crore) and security arrangements along the Punganuru branch canal. Furthermore, a proposal to increase the floor prices for land acquisitions in Polavaram project-affected regions, which require ₹565.06 crore, also received approval. The continuation of works on the Polavaram Lift Scheme and the confirmation of legal representatives for interstate water dispute cases were included in the agenda.
