Thu Dec 19 14:46:09 UTC 2024: **Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Approves ₹33,138 Crore Amaravati Development Plan, Cancels Inefficient JJM Tenders**

VIJAYAWADA, December 19, 2024 – The Andhra Pradesh (AP) Cabinet approved a massive ₹33,138 crore development plan for Amaravati on Thursday. The plan includes 45 engineering works encompassing residential quarters, flood mitigation projects, and infrastructure improvements. To fund this, the AP Capital Region Development Authority (AP-CRDA) received approval to secure a ₹5,000 crore loan from Germany’s KfW bank, in addition to previously approved loans of ₹15,000 crore from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and ₹11,000 crore from HUDCO.

In a separate move, the Cabinet cancelled tenders for 44,195 works under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) totaling ₹11,400 crore due to poor progress. These projects, initiated between 2019-24, either hadn’t started or were less than 25% complete. The state government spent only ₹4,000 crore of the allocated ₹26,824 crore for 77,917 JJM works, a stark contrast to other states’ spending. Fresh tenders will be issued for the cancelled projects. The government aims to complete 33,717 JJM projects, focusing on drinking water initiatives in Pulivendula, Dronachalam, and Uddhanam.

Other key decisions included the subdivision of 48,899 joint land parcels without fees for applicants, approval for a ₹1,000 crore loan for Markfed to pay farmers for paddy procurement, and the approval of fresh tenders for Polavaram left main canal packages and the Punganur branch canal. The Cabinet also approved a ₹1.87 lakh crore joint venture between NTPC and NREDCAP for clean energy projects and reinstated mid-day meals for first and second-year intermediate students in government junior colleges.

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