AP government decides to contest Brijesh Award

HYDERABAD: The state Cabinet which met on Tuesday decided to challenge Brijesh Kumar Tribunal's award on Krishna water sharing in the Supreme Court. Before that the government would convene an all-party meeting to elicit their opinions.

The Cabinet also decided to raise the creamy layer limit for BC welfare schemes from `4.5 lakh to `6 lakh per year.

The Cabinet, by another resolution, decided to have a survey done to include Kapus among BCs. It approved sanction of `65 lakh for conducting the survey.

The other Cabinet decisions are: The government will give guarantee for `1,500 crore Hudco loan for weaker sections housing schemes, `319.70 crore RTC loan, `1,000 crore Hudco loan for diverting Godavari water to Hyderabad and `1,470 crore loans for 16 water schemes.

The cabinet also cleared the proposal to set up a building tribunal in GHMC to resolve issues relating to illegal constructions; approval for the animation, gaming and media entertainment policy; approval to acquire 5,000 hectares each for the three NIMZS proposed in Medak, Chittoor and Prakasam districts.

The State Cabinet also sanctioned 14,115 new posts in 14 departments. Of these, 74 lecturers, 262 doctors, 92 engineers, 19 technical, 425 paramedical, 543 other gazetted posts, 4,692 non-gazetted, four drivers, 7,746 anganwadi posts and 194 posts in the last grade service and also 64 outsourcing posts.

The expenditure on the new posts is Rs 161.66 crore per year. This includes 3,820 front-line staff for strengthening the forest department. The Cabinet also sanctioned dearness allowance to the state government employees and pensioners with effect from July.

The Cabinet also hiked the ex gratia to be paid to the victims of extremist violence. For MPs, MLAs and ZP chairpersons the amount was increased from Rs 15 to 30 lakh and for others including sarpanches it has been increased from Rs 10 lakh to 25 lakh.

For civilians the amount is increased from Rs 5 to 10 lakhs. For police officers up to the rank of SI, the ex gratia was increased from Rs 9 to 25 lakh and inspectors and above the amount is increased from Rs 12 to Rs 30 lakh. All the revised amounts were in case of deaths.

The amounts were also increased for permanent incapacitation and grievous injuries. For civilians Rs 10 lakh will be paid to incapacitation and Rs 2 lakh if they are injured in extremist violence.