A.P. Cabinet approves ₹9,355 crore for seven Multi-Village Schemes

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Friday, announced a series of policy decisions aimed at bolstering water security, enhancing social welfare, and streamlining administrative efficiency in the State.

Addressing the media, Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said the Cabinet granted administrative approval for ₹9,355 crore to be invested in seven Multi-Village Schemes (MVS).

These projects are designed to provide a daily quota of 55 litre water per person to over 65 lakh people across 76 mandals. Complementing this, ₹1,814.71 crore has been sanctioned for 3,000 localised projects targeting water-stressed areas, funded through the Jal Jeevan Mission and NABARD.

The Cabinet approved the implementation of ‘Sakhi Nivas’ hostels under the Mission Shakti (Andhra Pradesh) programme. The initiative aims to provide safe, affordable accommodation for single working women, widows, and those living away from their families. Each of the 30 planned hostels will include crèche services to support working mothers. Operations will be handled by outsourced staff, including dedicated wardens and security personnel, he said.

‘Per Drop More Crop’

Recognising the unique challenges faced by tribal communities, the Cabinet expanded irrigation subsidies under the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ programme for farmers holding forest rights titles. Drip irrigation systems will now receive a 100% subsidy, while sprinkler systems will be supported with a 90% subsidy.

The initiative will be rolled out in saturation mode across eight identified districts to improve agricultural productivity for rain-fed tribal lands, the Minister said.

To expedite the resolution of commercial tax disputes, an Additional Commissioner (State Taxes) post has been created in Visakhapatnam to serve as the First Appellate Authority, reducing the burden on Vijayawada.

300 Head Constable posts in the Andhra Pradesh Special Police have been upgraded to Assistant Reserve Sub-Inspector roles to improve command, control, and disaster management capabilities.

Land was allocated for new Kendriya Vidyalaya campuses in Srikakulam, NTR, and Eluru districts, and for an ESIC hospital in Nellore.. Land in Bapatla and Chittoor districts was designated for the development of luxury resorts to promote regional tourism.

About 82.40 acres of land in Nellore district were transferred to the Forest Department for compensatory afforestation projects, he added.