Cabinet nod for 50% waiver of property tax arrears in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday approved a series of decisions aimed at governance reforms, infrastructure development, and welfare measures.

A major highlight was the one-time waiver of 50% of accumulated interest on property tax arrears for 2025–26. The benefit would be passed on if payment was made in lump sum, and the deadline was March 31, 2026.

Briefing the media, I&PR Minister Kolusu Parthasarathi said the Cabinet approved a resolution to amend the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, to explicitly recognise Amaravati as the State capital, including areas under the APCRDA Act.

In a pro-livelihood initiative, quarry leases would be preferentially allotted to Vaddera societies with a 50% concession on premiums and fees. About 15% of quarries would be reserved, restoring opportunities to the community affected by earlier auction policies.

The Cabinet permitted SRM University at Neerukonda to construct buildings up to 60 metres, relaxing existing norms to support modern infrastructure, while mandating strict fire safety compliance.

Addressing judicial infrastructure, the Cabinet approved the High Court’s proposal to establish new courts and create posts across various judicial levels. Based on the High Court’s proposal and aligned with Supreme Court directives, the decision aims to reduce case pendency and improve the judge-to-population ratio.

The Cabinet approved a reduction in APCPDCL’s administrative/supervision charges from 15% to 2.5% for works undertaken by the Amaravati Development Corporation Limited (ADCL), aligning them with NHAI norms. This move comes amid rapid infrastructure development in Amaravati and aims to lower project costs and ease the financial burden on the State exchequer.

Additional staffing was sanctioned for a BC girls’ residential school in Kuppam. The Cabinet also cleared multiple land allotments for afforestation, healthcare, renewable energy, and solar projects. NREDCAP was designated as the nodal agency for renewable energy zones, while timelines for key projects were extended. 

The Cabinet approved draft rules to regulate private coaching institutions, making registration mandatory and introducing student counselling systems to address mental health concerns and academic pressure, thereby promoting a more accountable and student-friendly education ecosystem, he added.