Disha, land titling Bills get House nod

Amaravati: The Assembly on Thursday passed the Andhra Pradesh Disha (Special Courts For Specified Offences Against Women And Children) Bill, 2020 and AP Land Titiling Bill, 2020, by voice vote.

Home minister Mekathoti Sucharitha, who tabled the Disha Bill, explaining the salient features of the Bill said the AP Disha (Special Courts For Specified Offences Against Women And Children) Bill, 2019 had been withdrawn and new Bill is introduced which has provisions for speedy trial.

Across the state, 18 Disha police stations were set up and they have obtained ISO certification as women and child-friendly stations. Disha app has been introduced and 12 lakh people have downloaded it till date, she said. The Bill was passed by voice vote and members welcomed it.

The House also passed the AP Land Titiling Bill, 2020 which proposes to provide permanent land ownership and settle disputes over the boundaries and ownership. Revenue minister Dharmana Krishna Das said that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy took a historic decision, for the first time in the country, to introduce this Bill and the government will distribute land pattas once the comprehensive survey is completed. The Bill was passed by voice vote.

The House also passed the AP Municipal Laws (Second Amendment) Bill as per Article 197 (1) of the Constitution, which proposes to amend the house tax structure by a nominal hike.

Municipal administration minister said the Bill has been rejected by Legislative Council and was again introduced in Assembly. The Bill was also passed by voice vote for second time, while the Opposition objected the contents of the Bill which were clarified by the minister.

The House also passed the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2020, tabled by energy minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy.

The minister explained the amendments before it was passed by voice vote