AP Cabinet Meeting Today: Decision on Free Bus Travel for Women on Agenda
Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh (AP) Cabinet is set to convene under the chairmanship of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy today. This meeting is anticipated to be crucial, especially as it precedes the upcoming elections in a few months. It is expected that the government will announce several welfare schemes, one of which is the provision of free bus travel for women. The Finance Department has already submitted a report to the government regarding the financial implications of this initiative. Currently, similar schemes are being implemented by the Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana.
If the free bus travel scheme for women is implemented, it is estimated to cost the government approximately ₹1,440 crores annually. The YSRCP government believes that this scheme might attract female voters. While opposition parties criticize the government for not issuing a single notification since coming to power, the Cabinet is also likely to discuss the issuance of the DSC notification, which could become a contentious issue in the upcoming elections.
In addition to these topics, the Cabinet meeting is expected to deliberate on interim relief for government employees, mega housing projects, Navaratnas, housing for all, Rythu Bharosa, zero-interest loans, input subsidies, crop insurance, and agricultural loan waivers.