Sankranti Gift: ₹6,700 Crores Pending Bills Cleared

DECCAN FREEDOM NEWS AMARAVATI JAN 11

As a festive gesture for Sankranti, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu approved the release of ₹6,700 crores to clear pending bills across various sectors, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav announced on Saturday. Speaking to the media after an extensive three-hour review meeting held by the Chief Minister at Undavalli, the Minister outlined the decisions aimed at addressing financial commitments and pending dues.

The funds will cover pending bills for students, employees, police personnel, small contractors, and Amaravati farmers’ lease arrears. The released amounts include ₹1,300 crores for employees’ GPF, surrender leave, and CPS arrears, distributed as ₹519 crores for GPF, ₹214 crores for police surrender leave, ₹300 crores for CPS, and ₹265 crores for TDS dues.

For education, ₹788 crores will benefit 6.50 lakh students through fee reimbursement and SC/ST scholarships. Additionally, ₹500 crores will cover electricity subsidies, ₹400 crores for the NTR Vaidya Seva Trust, and ₹100 crores for drugs and medicines.

Small contractors, particularly those owed less than ₹5–10 lakhs, will see relief with ₹586 crores allocated to benefit 26,000 contractors. Micro-entrepreneurs, including 651 MSMEs and 6,000 micro-entrepreneurs, will receive ₹90 crores.

The Amaravati capital region farmers, who provided land for the capital and Gannavaram Airport, will be paid ₹241 crores in lease arrears.

Minister Keshav emphasized that these measures are aimed at alleviating financial distress caused by policies of the previous government and ensuring timely support for beneficiaries across the state.