VIJAYAWADA: The State cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday, decided to constitute the 11th Pay Revision Commission (PRC) to decide on the quantum of hike for state government employees, and also gave its nod for payment of arrears to the tune of Rs 3,999 crore in a phased manner. The arrears would be paid in the form of cash to pensioners and GPF to employees.
The PRC is constituted every five years. Nearly 4.3 lakh government employees across all the 13 districts will stand to benefit from the PRC’s recommendations. The 11th PRC will submit its recommendations in one year after it is constituted. However, in some bad news for the government staff, the Cabinet deferred a decision on the contributory pension scheme to the next meeting.
In other key decisions, the Cabinet approved a proposal to stand guarantee for up to Rs 1,092 crore to be borrowed from public sector banks towards land acquisition, rail connectivity and other developmental activities in Machilipatnam Deep Water Port.
This facilitates the setting up of an Integrated Logistics and Manufacturing Zone by the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) at Machilipatnam. Further, it approved the establishment of higher educational institutions and issue a letter of intent to the sponsoring body of Gatti Valley Educational Foundation, Bangalore, for setting up the Best Innovation University at Gownivaripalli in Anantapur district. It will come up in 102 acres at a cost of Rs 151 crore and 15,000 students could be enrolled in it by the 10th year of its establishment.
The cabinet has decided that the varsity should take shape this academic year itself.
Adding to the already increasing capacity of the State’s solar power production, the Cabinet gave the green signal for a 160 MW wind solar hybrid power project at Muttavakunta and Kanaganapalli villages in Anantapur district.
It will be set up by NREDCAP. Among other decisions are: 1) AP Compulsory Registrations of Marriage Act, 2002 to be amended to help people avail benefits without delay through an integrated system under the Chandranna Pelli Kanuka scheme; 2) 51.92 acres allotted to various organisations, including the CBI, IGNOU, IMD, Ministry of External Affairs for Videsh Bhavan and 15 others and 3) Permission for operations of Roll on and Roll of services between Ibrahimpatnam Ferry and Lingayapalem, Krishna Right Flood Bank Village.