Andhra Pradesh cabinet meeting to be held today, here are issues to be discussed

Ahead of Andhra Pradesh assembly sessions likely to begin in second week of November, the AP cabinet meeting is scheduled today to discuss the implementation of welfare schemes starting this month, along with the damage caused by floods in the state. The cabinet will discuss over local body election controversy, ambiguity over Polavaram, Disha Act bill along with 15 other issues.

The state cabinet meeting will be held at the secretariat at 11 am on Thursday. The cabinet will discuss welfare schemes, mainly starting this month. As part of the welfare calendar, the CM will soon launch a program with Jagananna Thodu. The scheme will provide a loan of Rs 10,000 to small traders who make a living by selling goods, vegetables and fruits on the streets. 474 crore will be spent on 9.08 lakh people.

On the other hand, the Centre's assistance on crop damage due to recent floods and rains in Krishna, Guntur and Godavari districts will be discussed in the Cabinet. As the central team will visit the state on the 9th of this month to assess the flood damage, CM Jagan will suggest in the cabinet that steps be taken to set up photo exhibitions everywhere and explain the severity of the floods to them. The government hopes to release funds immediately for the maintenance of roads damaged by the rains. In addition, the new tourism policy is likely to be approved by the Cabinet.

The cabinet will also discuss irrigation projects in the state. The Union Finance Ministry has made it clear that only pre-approved funds will be released for the Polavaram project. The state government has already asked the Center to approve the Rs 55,000 crore approved by the Union Ministry of Water Resources and Technical Advisory Council. There is a possibility of a debate in the cabinet on what to do if the centre does not approve these. The government is preparing to hold the winter session of the Assembly in the last week of this month. With this, there is a chance that the cabinet meeting will give a clarity on dates of the Assembly meetings.

It is likely that the Cabinet will discuss the issue of what to do to get the Disha law be passed in Parliament as the central government has sent back the Disha law which it considers ambitious without the approval of the Center. The issue of local body elections will also be discussed in the cabinet. The cabinet meeting, which was postponed four times due to various reasons, will be a platform for key decisions today.