Andhra Cabinet approves new excise policy; 10% retail liquor outlets to be allotted to toddy-tappers community

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved the new excise policy and 33 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in legislative bodies.

Briefing media persons, Minister for Information and Public Relations Kolusu Parthasarathi said the Cabinet decided to adopt a private retail system for the sale of liquor as part of an attempt to increase management efficiency. The new excise policy will come into force from October 1.

Of the 3,736 retail outlets in the state, 10 percent will be allotted to the toddy-tappers community, the Minister stated.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who chaired the meeting, directed the Excise officials to see to it that quality liquor is available in the market at a very reasonable price, Parthasarathi said.

He said the allotment of retail outlets will be done most transparently. For this lottery system will be adopted, he added.

The proposal to provide 33 percent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in legislative bodies also got the Cabinet nod. This apart, the meeting resolved to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) university and a Skilling Academy in the State.

The GO which provides payment of Rs 200 for village volunteers and secretariats will be revoked as it results in causing Rs 102 crore loss to the State per annum. The Cabinet approved naming the Bhogapuram Airport as Alluri Seetharamaraju International Airport and set up the Andhra Pradesh Ex-Servicemen Corporation with a corpus fund of Rs 3 cr.

The meeting also decided to rename the Vision Document Vikasitha Andhra-2047 as the Swarnandhra@2047. The Swarnandhra Vision Document will be released on November 1. Before releasing the Vision Document, talks will be held with the stakeholders from September 21 to October 5, he added.

The Cabinet gave its nod for the GOs released on June 12 and August 25 to fill 58 posts in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) temporarily only to strengthen the official machinery in the CMO to resolve the issues of the Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF) and the complaints lodged with the CMO, Parthasarathi said.

The Chief Minister advised the Cabinet to initiate steps to strengthen the systems by utilizing the technology and good practices that are available now.

The Ministry also okayed the proposal for the creation of a preliminary corpus fund of Rs 100 crore for the 2024-25 financial year only to take the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on the progressive path extending the benefits received under the Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme of the Centre to these MSMEs. With this the MSMEs will get the loan facility to the extent of Rs 5 cr without providing any collateral security, Parthasarathi explained.

The Cabinet also cleared the proposal for establishing the second MSME Technology Centre-cum-Testing Facility at Amaravathi instead of at Mega Industrial Hub at Kopparthy in Kadapa district. The Cabinet approved the move to hand over 20 acres of land to this through the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) in Amaravathi.

The Cabinet approved the ratification orders of the Polavaram Chief Engineer to continue the present agency for the construction of a new diaphragm wall works of the Polavaram project which is considered to be the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh. The fresh works to be taken up will be carried out in a transparent way through bidding, he added.

Chief Minister directed the Minister for Irrigation to take steps to fill all the reservoirs and minor irrigation tanks in Rayalaseema in this season itself. The GO already issued renaming the Rythu Bharosa Centres and Rythu Seva Centres is ratified by the Cabinet.