Amaravati, Sep 4 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday approved the implementation of a universal health policy to provide quality treatment free of cost to about five crore people in the state.

The insurance companies will provide health insurance from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and the NTR Vaidya Seva Trust will provide health coverage from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu gave its nod to the scheme under which 3,257 health services will be provided.

The approvals under the policy will be given within six hours after admitting a patient to the hospital, and a control room will be set up in NTR Trust to monitor the free health services.

Briefing media on the Cabinet decisions, Minister for Information and Public Relations K Parthasarathi said the Cabinet also approved the proposal to develop 10 new medical colleges in PPP mode, including at Adoni, Madanapalli, Markapuram, Pulivendula, Penugonda, Palacole, Amalapuram, Narsipatnam, Bapatla and Parvatiuram, to start admissions from the 2027-28 academic year.

The important Cabinet decisions include waiving of stamp duty for the lands allotted to educational institutions and hospitals in the Amaravati capital region and regularisation of 59,375 unauthorised constructions as on August 31, 2025. In addition, the Cabinet decided to consider the proposal to increase the limit of high-rise buildings to 24 metres against the present 18 metres height.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the municipal and urban development authorities for land pooling of 78.01 acres in Atmakuru village of Mangalagiri mandal to implement the Mangalagiri Gold Cluster Land Pooling Scheme for the benefit of local goldsmiths.

It also decided the proposal to distribute 14.2 kg gas cylinders under the Deepam-2 scheme to benefit 23,912 beneficiaries of the agency region spread in 16 districts.

In addition, the state Cabinet approved the investments cleared in State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) meetings. It gave its nod for allotment of lands proposed by various departments, including Industries and Commercial Taxes, Tourism and Youth welfare, and Power, to encourage investors. It also approved the allotment of Rs 5.7 crore for the repair and maintenance of 392 irrigation structures.

The Cabinet also approved allotting 26.70 acres of land for the electronics companies, which came forward to invest Rs 1,595 crore in Naidupet to provide employment opportunities to 2168 people.

A decision was also taken to reduce the green tax on vehicles and introduce a bill for this in the Assembly session.

The Cabinet also approved the AP drinking water supply schemes operation and maintenance scheme proposed by the Panchayat Raj Department to supply safe drinking water in rural areas.

The state Cabinet thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman for reducing GST on various products to benefit the middle class and the poor. It opined that the next generation reforms will improve the living standards of people.

–IANS

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