Page 2 - Andhra Pradesh

Andhra CM Naidu, Bill Gates meet at state secretariat in Amaravati

Microsoft founder Bill Gates will visit Andhra Pradesh on Monday and hold discussions with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on expanding cooperation in health and artificial intelligence initiatives. Gates will arrive at the state secretariat here in the morning and meet with CM Naidu, IT Minister Nara Lokesh and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan briefly. "Gates will visit Amaravati and hold discussions with Naidu on expanding cooperation in health and artificial intelligence initiatives," state Municipal Minister P Narayana said on Sunday. The CM has requested Gates to expand ongoing health initiatives across the state and discussions will focus on AI as well, he said. The Gates Foundation has already been working in Kuppam in Chittoor district on health-related projects, and the talks are expected to explore scaling up these interventions to benefit a wider population across the southern state. Later, Gates will proceed to Real Time Governance System (RTGS) to observe the ...

BPCL unfazed by geopolitics, to buy crude on techno-commercial merit: CMD

BPCL will source crude purely on techno-commercial merit amid geopolitical flux, with talks on Saudi investment in its Andhra refinery, says CMD Sanjay Khanna

AP Budget 2026: ₹53,915 cr for public capex highest in state's history

The government has positioned infrastructure as a multiplier for private investment, job creation and long-term productivity growth, moving beyond consumption-led spending towards asset creation

Welfare, development push: Andhra presents ₹3.32 trn budget for 2026-27

Balancing welfare and development, Andhra Pradesh on Saturday presented a Budget of over Rs 3.32 lakh crore for 202627, with an estimated revenue expenditure of Rs 2.56 lakh crore and capital expenditure of nearly Rs 54,000 crore. While presenting the Budget in the state assembly, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav said the estimated revenue deficit would be around Rs 22,000 crore (1.11 per cent of the GSDP) and the fiscal deficit is pegged at nearly 76,000 crore (3.84 per cent of the GSDP). The budget proposed Rs 51,021 crore for the BC component, while School Education gets Rs 32,308 crore. The Budget allocated Rs 19,306 crore for Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department. The Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Department, held by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan gets nearly Rs 23,000 crore. In his speech, Keshav said a short span of two years is certainly not enough to rebuild a state which has faced catastrophic events since its inception. First, the irrational ...

AP Inter Hall Ticket 2026: BIEAP 1st, 2nd year admit cards released online

The AP Inter first and second year exams will be conducted from Feb 23 to Mar 24, 2026, in a single shift across the state. So, BIEAP is expected to release the hall ticket anytime soon

HC upholds GST order despite missing document number on physical copy

Court rules GST order issued through portal with system-generated reference number remains valid even if physical copy does not carry Document Identification Number

AP Inter Hall Ticket 2026: BIEAP 1st, 2nd year admit cards to be out soon

The Board of Intermediate Education, Andhra Pradesh, will soon be releasing the AP Inter Hall Ticket 2026 for the 1st and 2nd year. Once out, students can download it from the official website

Andhra govt exempts ₹20 crore stamp duty, fees for BPCL refinery project

The Andhra Pradesh government has exempted stamp duty and registration fees amounting to over Rs 20 crore in favour of BPCL to facilitate the setting up of a greenfield refinery and petrochemical complex near Ramayapatnam Port in Nellore district. G Sai Prasad, special chief secretary (FAC), Revenue (Registration. II) Department said the exemption pertains to the transfer of over 600 acres of land in Chevuru village, Gudluru mandal of Nellore district from Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB) to Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) and in turn from APIIC to BPCL. "Government after careful examination of the matter, has decided to exempt the stamp duty for an amount of Rs 17.6 crore and registration fee (including transfer duty) for an amount of Rs 2.7 crore for transfer of land to an extent of 600.4 acres, out of 6,000 acres from APMB to APIIC and in turn from APIIC to BPCL," said Prasad in a government order (GO) on Monday. More than a year ago, the Andhra .

Holy sweet triggers sour political battle in Andhra as war of words erupts

SIT report on the alleged adulteration in Tirupati laddu led to a fresh war of words between TDP and YSRCP

Andhra launches Amaravati Quantum Valley to power global-scale innovation

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the Amaravati Quantum Valley here to position the state as a global hub for quantum research, cutting-edge innovation, talent development and deep industry collaboration. Accompanied by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, the CM laid the foundation stone for the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) at Uddandarayunipalem village, according to visuals shared by the state government. The ceremony also featured a series of launches and the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs), showing strong collaboration among industry, academia, and the government. "Amaravati Quantum Valley should emerge as a hub for research and innovation. Andhra has positioned itself as a promoter of frontier technologies and is committed to creating conditions that attract global-scale investment and innovation," Naidu earlier said. Its focus areas include quantum ...

Maruti partners with Andhra govt to set up 4 automated driving test tracks

Maruti Suzuki India on Friday said it has inked a pact with Andhra Pradesh government for the setting up and maintenance of four automated driving test tracks across the state. The tracks will be set up at four Regional Transport Office (RTO) locations in the state, namely Eluru, Ongole, Vizianagaram, and Anakapalli. Under the MoA, the car major will automate and maintain these driving test tracks for a period of three years from the date of commissioning. "Aligned with his vision for technology-led solutions, we are honoured to bring 4 Automated Driving Test Tracks (ADTTs) to the state of Andhra Pradesh,"Maruti Suzuki India MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said in a statement. ADTTs use advanced technology that ensure a comprehensive, efficient, and transparent process with zero human intervention, he added. This guarantees that only skilled drivers are awarded a driving license, thereby improving overall road safety, Takeuchi noted. "The automation of driving test tracks is expected

16th FC report: From Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal, who gets how much

Southern states are projected to get a marginal increase

Goa may impose Australia-style social media ban for children under 16

Goa is studying Australia's law restricting social media access for children under 16, after parents have raised concerns about online distractions and the impact on students' learning

APTRANSCO to complete 55 transmission projects worth over ₹9,000 crore

Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd has set an ambitious target to complete around 55 major transmission projects worth over Rs 9,000 crore, said an official on Monday. Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd (APTRANSCO) joint managing director G Surya Sai Praveenchand said 8,853 MVA of transmission capacity and 1,558 circuit km of transmission lines will be added to the state grid. "APTRANSCO has set an ambitious target to complete around 55 major transmission projects worth Rs 9,319.30 crore, which will add 8,853 MVA of transformation capacity and 1,558 circuit km of transmission lines to the state grid," he said while commemorating the 77th Republic Day at Vidyut Soudha in Vijayawada. According to the joint managing director, new 400/220/132 kv substations are being developed at strategic locations in Kakinada SEZ, Achutapuram, Gudivada and Ainavalli for supplying reliable power. He observed that Andhra Pradesh power utilities have accorded top priority to ...

Andhra Pradesh studies Australia-like social media ban for U-16 children

The exposure of children to social media in India has increased rapidly due to cheaper smartphones and wider internet access, including in rural areas

Brookfield, Andhra Pradesh govt review $12 billion pact at Davos meeting

The government of Andhra Pradesh has reaffirmed its fast-moving strategic partnership with Brookfield Asset Management following a high-level meeting between the state's Minister for IT, Electronics and Education, Nara Lokesh and Brookfield Asset Management President Connor Teskey on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026. The meeting reviewed progress since the leaders' earlier interaction in London and focused on accelerating next steps under the USD 12 billion memorandum of understanding signed at the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam, according to the statement government press release. The MoU is among the largest clean-infrastructure commitments announced at the summit and highlights Andhra Pradesh's growing profile as a destination for large-scale, sustainable investments. Discussions at Davos centred on fast-tracking Brookfield's clean-energypowered, gigawatt-scale data centre campus in Visakhapatnam, in line with the State's plan to position Viz

AM Green's $10 bn Kakinada green ammonia export hub nears key milestone

Complex will begin first major equipment erection on Saturday, with exports planned for Germany, Japan and Singapore and phase one due by March 2027

Centre recommends PPP model to boost healthcare services in Andhra

The Centre urged the Andhra Pradesh government to adopt a public-private partnership model to modernise its healthcare system. In a letter to State Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav, the Ministry of Health highlighted that collaborating with the private sector is the fastest way to bridge gaps in medical demand and expand service delivery across the state. The Centre urged Andhra Pradesh to extensively adopt the PPP model to accelerate healthcare expansion and improve availability, quality, and efficiency of services, said an official release on Wednesday. The Ministry suggested implementing PPP in rural and semi-urban areas, focussing on nuclear medicine, mobile units, dental clinics, radiology services, and cancer day care centres. It proposed an approach where private partners are engaged for 5 to 10 years. The Centre noted that nuclear medicine facilities for cancer and neurological care remain inadequate in smaller towns, urging expansion of PET CT, SPECT, and radiotherapy ..

Andhra skill scam: CID gives clean chit to CM Naidu, court accepts report

In a relief to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, a local court in Vijayawada has closed a case filed against him over his alleged involvement in the misappropriation of funds from the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation, which, according to the case, caused a loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer. Naidu had spent more than 50 days in the Rajamahendravaram Central Prison before the Andhra Pradesh High Court granted him bail on October 31, 2023. Andhra Pradesh Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas said the investigating agency found no involvement of the Chief Minister and accordingly filed a memo in the court, which was accepted by the judicial officer. "After completing the investigation, the agency filed a closure report stating that there was no substance in the case regarding Naidu's role. The court accepted it on Monday," Srinivas told PTI. Naidu was arrested in the case on September 9, 2023, when YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy was the chief minister.

Websol to invest ₹3,538 cr in solar manufacturing complex in AP's Naidupeta

The project, comprising 4 Gw solar cells and 4 Gw solar modules, will be developed in two phases over 120 acres, with commercial production scheduled from July 2027 and July 2028