Andhra Pradesh Cabinet clears irrigation works worth ₹344 crore, AI Living Labs initiative

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the Secretariat in Amaravati on Wednesday, approved a series of key proposals and took on record two Self Contained Notes dated January 27, 2026, submitted by the Special Investigation Team on ghee adulteration at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and addressed to the State government.

The government placed the SIT notes before the Cabinet and cleared multiple administrative, legislative and infrastructure related proposals across departments.

In the irrigation sector, the Cabinet accorded revised administrative approval for 7,189 Operation and Maintenance works for 2025-26 at a cost of ₹344 crore in respect of Major, Medium and Minor Irrigation sources, against the earlier approval for 7,174 works issued through G.O.Rt.No.269 dated May 31, 2025, and subsequent modification orders.

The Cabinet approved the draft Bill to amend the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands Prohibition of Transfers Act, 1977, replacing Ordinance No. 10 of 2025, and cleared amendments to relevant clauses. It also extended by six months, up to June 30, 2026, the last date for filing applications for regularisation of encroachments in Gajuwaka Revenue Village in Visakhapatnam district, and for the Regularisation Scheme 2025 relating to unobjectionable government lands statewide.

Approval was given for change of land use in Keesarapalli village, Krishna district, in favour of the Customs Department, and for alienation of 45.60 acres in Eluru district to NREDCAP for a Compressed Bio Gas plant, and 1,500 acres in Nandyal district for a 250 MW solar power project under the Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024. The Cabinet also cleared alienation of 18.57 acres in Gudilova village, Visakhapatnam, as per an earlier resolution.

In the IT sector, the Cabinet approved the Andhra Pradesh AI Living Labs initiative, including formation of a Section 8 not for profit company, approval of its Memorandum and Articles of Association, and amendment of the MoU with NVIDIA for AI hardware procurement and teaching kits. It ratified G.O.Ms.No.1 dated February 6, 2026, in this regard.

The Cabinet approved establishment of a Disaster Recovery Centre for the AP State Data Centre at Tirupati under the BOOT model, introduction of amendments to the Grama and Ward Sachivalayams Act, and development of Amaravati Marina on PPP mode with a 33 year lease framework.

Among other decisions were fixation of ₹2,39,000 as unit cost under PMAY Gramin 2.0, refinancing of Ramayapatnam Port loans through Sagarmala Finance Corporation with State guarantee support, amendments to the Panchayat Raj Act to provide additional qualifying dates for electoral rolls, exclusion of two pumped storage projects from the APGENCO NHPC joint venture scope, creation of an Assistant Secretary post in APTRANSCO, land alienation in Tirupati for a community hall, ratification of priority irrigation works, and approval of amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Fire Services Act, 1999, replacing Ordinance No. 9 of 2025.