AMARAVATI: The Cabinet of Andhra Pradesh, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has approved the second phase of the land pooling scheme for Amaravati, which involves pooling 16,666 acres.
The land will be sourced from seven villages in the capital region: Vaikuntapuram, Pedda Madduru, Endrai, Karlapudi, Vaddamanu, Harishchandrapuram, and Peddaparimi.
Information and Public Relations Minister K Parthasarathy announced that the Cabinet has authorized the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) Commissioner to proceed with the pooling of 16,666.57 acres from these villages.
This pooling is permitted under Section 55(2) of the APCRDA Act, with the government requiring the land to build essential infrastructure for the capital. The initiative aims to enhance financial conditions, alleviate poverty, and address social requirements.
According to Parthasarathy, farmers have consented to this phase of land pooling after resolutions were passed during gram sabhas, and meetings were held with the farmers.
The Cabinet also approved a Rs 5,000-crore inter-corporate working capital loan to the Andhra Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (APSCSCL) for paddy procurement for the 2025-26 Kharif season. This loan will be sourced from NCDC via the Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (APMARKFED).
Additionally, new regulations for all urban local bodies were approved, requiring licenses and permissions for installations of uni-poles, hoardings, advertisements on buses and auto-rickshaws, glow-sign boards, temporary banners, and flex boards.
Hoardings and billboards must obtain structural stability certificates and insurance coverage. Furthermore, such structures will not be permitted on state and national highways or in proximity to educational institutions and heritage buildings.
The Cabinet also endorsed a proposal allowing managing directors of power distribution companies (DISCOMs) to secure a Rs 3,762-crore loan from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for implementing rooftop and ground-mounted solar power installations.
DISCOMs will utilize these funds to install solar systems for SC and ST consumers under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY).
