Cabinet gives nod for Capital Authority Bill

Govt keen on bringing out an ordinance on APCRDA Bill-2014

• Rajeev Arogya Shri Scheme as NTR Vaidya Seva
• 100 ailments added; `2.5 lakh medical benefit
• Modernisation of govt hospitals to be taken up
• Services of specialists, experts for govt hospitals
• Revision of syllabi from primary to university level
• Skill development centres in all districts
• They will train 1,000 students in various technical domains in each district

Hyderabad: Clearing decks for speedy construction of the new capital in Tulluru mandal in Guntur district, the State Cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod for the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) Bill-2014 on Tuesday.

The bill would be brought either as an ordinance or as an act by passing in the coming session of the Assembly. The Cabinet felt that the government should make a thorough exercise on the rules and regulations to be framed for creating the CRDA before the ordinance was sent to the Governor.

Briefing the media after a six-hour-long meeting, Information Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy said that the government was more inclined to bringing an ordinance for creating the CRDA. A final decision would be taken by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, after holding talks with the farmers from the capital region area.

The governing body of the CRDA headed by the Chief Minister will have 22 members. The executive committee consisting of officials will comprise 30 members. A Commissioner-level official would act as the convener of the CRDA, Reddy said. The CRDA will be responsible for developing master plan, special development plan, concept plan, issue of permissions for constructions.

It will also look after providing basic amenities in the capital city. Besides, the bill also empowers the authority to give legal sanction to the land pooling process conceived by the State government to take lands from farmers to build the capital city. The Cabinet also decided to rechristen the Rajeev Arogya Shri Scheme as NTR Vaidya Seva, and added another 100 ailments to the existing list of diseases covered under the scheme. It also decided to enhance the existing cap of Rs 2 lakh medical benefit under the scheme to two-and-half-a-lakh rupees.

Besides, making the scheme available in private hospitals, the government will provide necessary infrastructural facilities at primary health centers, community health centers, district hospitals. Modern facilities and equipment will also be provided at the government hospitals, so that medical benefits under the new scheme can be availed of at the government hospitals. Similarly, wherever required, services of the specialists and experts will also be requisitioned to better the medical services at the government-run hospitals.

In line with its policy to give a boost to alternative energy resources, the Cabinet cleared the proposal to provide 35 acres to ZR Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd, and New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation (NEDCAP) joint venture at Sajjaladinne village in Anantapur district to set up a 16 MW power wind energy plant.

According to the Minister, it has been decided to reorient the existing syllabi from the primary to the university level, to make the education in the state competitive at national and international level. For this, there will be a skill development unit in every district to train 1,000 students of engineering, polytechnic, and other technical domains.

Similar priority would also be followed in nominating members to the university executive councils. Giving pensions to all eligible persons through direct bank transfer, to remove interference of any middle men, as well as further streamlining online sale of sand from various sand reaches handled by the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) were among other issues that were discussed at the cabinet meeting.