Andhra Cabinet approves High Power Committee report on three capitals

Amid ongoing protests in Andhra Pradesh over the three-capital proposal, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led government on Monday approved the High Power Committee report at a Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet, which was chaired by Chief Minister Reddy, approved the idea of three capitals -- Visakhapatnam as executive capital, Kurnool as judicial capital, and Amaravati as legislative capital.

Based on the recommendations of the report, other key issues like decentralisation of development, concerns of farmers, employee issues, insider trading of Amaravati lands and Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) amendment were discussed during the meeting, said an official release.

In addition to the decentralisation and CRDA Amendment Bills, the state government has also agreed for offering better packages to the farmers of Amaravati region.

The meeting decided to increase the ex gratia being paid to the farmers of the capital region from Rs 2,500 per month to Rs 5,000 per month.

"The Cabinet has also approved the proposal to extend the tenancy limit for fifteen years to the farmers, who gave up their lands for the capital city construction and approved for the establishment of the Amaravati Metropolitan Development Authority in place of CRDA," added the release.

Further, the Cabinet agreed to establish over 11,000 Farmer Assistance Centres (Rythu Barosa Kendram) across the state.

After an hour-long Cabinet meeting, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Tammineni Sitaram.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy and the government's Chief Whip G Srikanth Reddy took part in the BAC meeting along with TDP MLA Atchannaidu.