The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on August 7 (Wednesday) decided to put on hold the registration of lands under the 22-A category for three months.
Though the Registration Act prohibits the sale and registration of the listed lands, the previous YSRCP government brought them under “freehold” category, facilitating their registration. The TDP-led NDA government, in view of the shady deals and considering the litany of complaints from the people, initiated an inquiry into the deals.
Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Information and Public Relations Kolusu Parthasarathy said that land registration titles bearing the photograph and other details of former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would be replaced.
The YSRCP government had spent more than ₹22.95 crore to issue 21.86 lakh land titles to the owners with Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s photograph on them, the Minister said. The Cabinet approved the proposal to replace the former Chief Minister’s photograph with the government gazette and a QR code on the land titles, he added.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to the proposal to remove the name of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy on the revenue survey stones across the State.
The Cabinet also instructed the district Collectors to verify all the land records and take stern action against those who indulged in land-grabbing.
Excise policy on Oct. 1
Stating that the new Excise Policy would be released on October 1, the Minister said the Cabinet agreed to introduce all the best liquor brands and ensure low price alcohol for the benefit of the poor.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The Excise Department was asked to study the best available policies across the country and introduce them in State, the Minister said, and added that that it would be a transparent policy.
The Cabinet further gave its nod for declaring the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF) as “unlawful organisations” in Andhra Pradesh for one more year under Section 3 of the A.P. Public Security Act, 1992, Mr. Parthasarathy said.
The Cabinet ratified the proposal to withdraw G.O. RT No. 217 of the Animal Husbandry Department dated August 18, 2021 and G.O. RT No. 144 dated September 8, 2020 of the Fisheries Department.
This would help traditional fishermen in Nellore district engage themselves in rearing fish in the government ponds by paying a nominal fee, the Minister said.
The Cabinet further approved the proposal to amend the A.P. Municipal Corporations Act and Panchayat Raj Act to enable those having three or more children to contest in the local body elections. The decision was aimed at balancing the demographic dividend, the Minister reasoned.
New posts
The Cabinet also sanctioned 380 posts in the newly constructed hospitals in Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Machilipatnam and Nandyal districts. It allowed an intake of 100 MBBS seats for the academic year 2024-25 in the hospitals at Pulivendula, Adoni and Madanapalle.
It also approved the proposal to withdraw G.O. No. 40 issued by the Water Resources Department on May 11, 2023, transferring about 208 acres to the Sunnipenta village panchayat in Nandyal district. Now, this land would be utilised for tourism development at Srisailam, the Minister said.
