Andhra govt to give 'restart' packages to hotels, cinemas

Andhra Pradesh cabinet on Friday approved a "restart" package to provide assistance to hotel and cinema industries which are facing losses.

Amravati (Andhra Pradesh): Taking into consideration the losses faced by hotel and cinema industries, Andhra Pradesh cabinet on Friday approved a "restart" package to provide assistance to these industries.

Briefing media about the decision, state Information and Public Relations minister Perni Venkataramaiah said the theatres will be considered as MSMEs and funds will be provided for repairs.

"There are 1,100 theatres including multiplexes in the state. Fixed power charges for all of them will be cancelled for three months (April, May, and June). For the remaining period, the provision of deferred payment is allowed. Working Capital loans will also be given. The loan amount will be Rs 10 lakh for theatres in A and B centres and Rs 5 lakh for theatres in C category centres. Six months' moratorium will be provided on payment of loan instalments," the minister said.

As per an official release, the cabinet has approved for implementation of "restart" package for hotels, restaurants, and function halls among other places that were adversely affected due to the corona pandemic.

"The package will be constituted with Rs 198.50 crore to provide loans ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 15,00,000. A six months' moratorium will be allowed, and 4.5 per cent discount will be provided on interest in the first year," it stated.

The state cabinet has also approved to pay the third instalment of the Rytu Bharosa scheme to the farmers and tenant farmers.

"Rs 2,000 will be paid to the farmers in this third instalment on December 29. Rs 1,009 crore will be credited in the accounts of 50.47 lakh farmers on that day," the release stated.

The cabinet has approved to pay input subsidy to farmers affected in the Nivar cyclone.

"As many as 8,06,504 farmers have lost crops due to Nivar cyclone in November. More than 13 lakh acres of crop is lost in which more than 12 lakh acres crop was paddy. Horticulture suffered losses in 70,000 acres. Rs 718 crore input subsidy will be paid to all those farmers on December 29." The government said.

Cabinet also gave approval for the recruitment of 147 lab technicians and 147 lab assistants in the animal husbandry department.

"Central government had earlier approved for the constitution of Andhra Pradesh Institute of Rural Management at Pulivendula in Kadapa district. The institute will be set up with Rs 83.59 crore. The cabinet has also approved to issue an ordinance for the constitution of AP Medical Education Research Corporation. This corporation will raise and provide funds of Rs 16,000 crore to 11 existing medical colleges, 16 upcoming medical colleges, and nursing colleges in the state," it added further.

The cabinet further gave its approval to an integrated land survey from December 21 and also approved to make five amendments to Andhra Pradesh Land Survey and Boundaries Act.

"All the lands in the state will be surveyed and GPS tagged within the next three years. A Survey Training College will be set up in Chittoor district with the support of Survey of India," the release stated further.

The Andhra cabinet also approved the new tourism policy, which the government said be supportive of massive investments into the new tourism units.

"Those with more than Rs 400 crore investment will be considered as mega tourism units. They will be provided some tax exemptions like SGST. The lease period is increased from 33 years to 99 years. The cabinet has approved for irrigation department to raise a credit of Rs 1,935 crores from NABARD for Chintalapudi lift irrigation project," the release added.

It further approved the development of watersheds and micro-irrigation projects in six districts of the state. The cabinet has ratified the appointment of Jasti Nagabhushanam as Additional Advocate General of the state.

ANI