The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, which met for over four hours, here on Monday, approved several decisions, including disbursement of enhanced pensions, implementation of NTR Sujala Sravanthi and NTR Arogya Seva from October 2.
Briefing media persons after the meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy said a total of 43.12 lakh beneficiaries under various categories (old age, widow, physically challenged, handloom workers and toddy tappers) will be given enhanced pensions of Rs.1,000 to Rs.1,500 from October 2 which will cost the State exchequer Rs. 3,600 crore a year. So far old age, widow and HIV-affected persons were given a pension of Rs. 200 and the physically handicapped, Rs. 500.
The Cabinet approved the appointment of various committees from village to district level with people’s representatives and officers for identification of new and eligible pension beneficiaries from September 19 to 21.
Along with the pension disbursement from October 2, MLAs will visit two villages each day to focus on health and veterinary camps, Neeru-Chettu, Badi Pilustondi, Polam Pilustondi, sanitation, and poverty alleviation programmes.
Supply of packaged mineral water under Sujala Sravanthi would be launched in 1,230 villages in 175 Assembly Constituencies in the first phase from October 2.
The Cabinet also approved the decision to start the seven missions for primary sector, social empowerment, skill development, urban development, industry, infrastructure and service within a month.
The Cabinet decided to bring 100 more diseases under NTR Arogya Seva taking the total diseases to be covered to 1,038 under the cashless medical treatment worth Rs.2.5 lakh from October 2. The health cards for government employees and journalists will also be extended under the scheme from October 2, Dr. Raghunatha Reddy said.
A decision to extend the ban on seven organisations-- Revolutinary Democratic Front, Communist Party of India (Maoist), Radical Youth League, Rythu Coolie Sangham, Radical Students Union, Singareni Karmika Samakhya, Viplava Karmika Samakhya and All India Revolutionary Students Federation – by one more year was also approved.
