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Andhra cabinet approves 3 free LPG cylinders from Diwali

Oct 24, 2024 08:18 AM IST

Naidu said each LPG cylinder will cost ₹894.92 and all the eligible families will get the reimbursement of this amount into their account through direct benefit transfer within 48 hours of the delivery

The Andhra Pradesh state cabinet, chaired by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday decided to roll out the “Deepam” scheme, through which three LPG cylinders will be supplied to the poor households per year free of cost with effect from Diwali, which will be celebrated on October 31.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu chairs a cabinet meeting. (PTI)
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu chairs a cabinet meeting. (PTI)

Talking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, state civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar said that the Deepam scheme, which is part of “Super Six” promises made in the common manifesto of NDA partners before the elections, would cause a burden of 2,684 crore on the state exchequer.

“The booking for free LPG cylinder supply will begin three days before the Diwali festival, so that the delivery of the cylinders can be done on the day of the festival. The state government has entered into an agreement with three gas companies — Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation,” the minister said.

He added that each LPG cylinder will cost 894.92 and all the eligible families will get the reimbursement of this amount into their account through direct benefit transfer within 48 hours of the delivery.

“The scheme will be implemented in three phases, once in four months – April to July, August to November and December to March,” Manohar said, adding that if the consumers had any grievances in the implementation of the scheme, they would be redressed at the desks in the village and ward secretariats immediately.

State mines and geology minister Kollu Ravindra said that the cabinet decided to abolish seignorage charges and GST on the supply of sand to consumers, as part of “free sand supply” policy. “The consumers will not have to pay these charges to the mining department hereafter. This will result in a loss of 264 crore revenue to the government. The cabinet approved the policy of allowing people to make online booking of sand and take them from the river beds through tractors and bullock-carts free of cost,” he said, adding that the government will take stringent action if this free sand is sold to make money.

State information and public relations minister K Parthasarathy said that the cabinet decided to restore the online government orders issue register (GOIR) to upload the government orders to make the government’s decisions more transparent. The GOIR was shut down during the previous YSRCP regime.

The cabinet decided to amend AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987, seeking to appoint two more members from the Brahmin and Nayee Brahmin communities in all the temple trust boards.

The cabinet also decided to do away with the system of judicial preview in finalising the tenders in the infrastructure and investment department, besides scrapping the reverse tendering system.

The cabinet also decided to cancel the allotment of 15 acres of land made to Sri Sarada Peetham at Bheemili in Visakhapatnam. The land was allotted to the Peetham during the previous government at a throwaway price of 1 lakh per acre, while the market value of the land is 15 crore per acre.

“While the allotment of land was made for the establishment of a Vedic university, the Peetham sought permission from the government to use the land for commercial purposes, which is against the norms,” the minister said.

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