The Andhra Pradesh cabinet, on Tuesday, approved the proposal to increase the pension from the present Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,750 from January 1, 2023. This would be the third increase by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government in the last three years.

The pension was first increased from Rs 2000 to Rs 2250 and later to Rs 2,500. The increase was part of the promise by Jagan Mohan Reddy before the 2019 general election. The regime would increase once again later, finally making it Rs 3000 per month.

The increase would cost Rs 130.44 crore in addition to the present expenditure of Rs 1720 crore. The cabinet also approved the new pension applications of 2.43 lakh taking the total pensioners strength to 64.74 lakh.

The cabinet also cleared the proposal to establish urban development authorities at Bapatla and Narasaraopet. It had cleared the proposal for land allocation for the government offices to be constructed in Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, NTR, Chittoor and Tirupati districts.

The cabinet approved the proposal to give tabs to 4.6 lakh Class VIII students and 60,000 teachers on December 21. The students and the teachers would have access to the content provided by the Byjus at a cost of Rs 778 crore. The government would be spending Rs 668 crore on the tabs.

The cabinet also approved the proposal to provide smart TVs in the classrooms of foundation schools having Class I to V and provide uninterrupted internet facility to 30,230 classrooms spending Rs 300 crore.

The cabinet also cleared the proposals, among others, approving the applications of 2.63 new pensioners, 44,543 ration cards, 14,441 aarogyasri cards and 14,531 housing scheme beneficiaries.

The cabinet approved the proposal to amend AP Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules 2010 exempting the teachers from non-teaching work. Instead, the government would use the village and ward secretariat employees.