The Andhra Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal to give free gas cylinders to the women in the state from Diwali. The cabinet cleared the proposal to reimburse the money into the bank accounts of the women.
The women would have to buy the cylinder once in four months. Once she pays the total amount to the gas company, the state government would reimburse the amount into the bank account of the beneficiary. However, the government would not allow anyone to buy all three cylinders at a time. They would have to buy one cylinder each for every four months, the cabinet said.
The scheme would cost Rs 2,700 crore on the exchequer per year. However, the cabinet cleared the proposal as it was part of the Super Six promises made by the NDA headed by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu during the 2024 general elections to the state Assembly.
The cabinet also approved the withdrawal of seigniorage charges on sand. The government had already approved the free sand supply to the people. Now, the cabinet approved the proposal to withdraw the collection of seigniorage on it. This would cost Rs 264 crore on the exchequer. The cabinet also cleared the proposal to withdraw GST on the sand.
The chief minister directed the district incharge ministers to ensure that free sand supply scheme is implemented properly in every district. He also directed the district collectors to ensure that free sand is supplied to the people.
The cabinet approved another proposal withdrawing land allocation to Sri Sarada Peeth in Visakhapatnam. The previous government had given 15 acres of land to the Sri Sarada Peeth for its further development and expansion. The present government withdrew the proposal and took back the land.
The previous government had given these 15 acres of land to the Sri Sarada Peeth at Kothavalasa village near Bheemili in Visakhapatnam. The land would cost a few crores of rupees to the government.
