Andhra Pradesh decides to ban online gaming

Amaravati, September 3 : The AP govt on Thu. ruled to ban on-line gambling by creating amendments to the AP Gaming Act, 1974.

Organisers of on-line gambling would gain a jail term of 1 yr. with a fine for for the first time offense. The jail term would go as many as 2 yrs. with a fine for repeat offenders. Those playing on-line games going to be sentenced to 6 mos jail.

The call has been taken in the cabinet gathering chaired by CM Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

The cabinet also extended the ban on CPI-Maoist & its frontal organisations by 1 yr..

Briefing journalists regarding the decisions taken by this cabinet, Info & People Relations Minister Perni Venkataramaiah stated the cabinet also gave its nod for executing free power to farmers using direct money transfer to bank accounts.

He stated the CM has been specific regarding the free power to the farmers & that no load must fall on them. The govt shall execute the scheme, using direct money transfer mode, where the amount going to be directly credited to farmers’ bank accounts for the power consumed by them in their own fields & they, in turn, shall pay the power invoices to the discoms (or) power distribution businesses.

“This imparts a sense of feeling that the farmers were paying for the power consumed & the discoms won’t go into the red. The pilot project going to be presented in Srikakulam & it’ll cover the overall state from Apr 2024,” he stated.

Venkataramaiah ensured that not a single power connection going to be eliminated & all this connections going to be regularized awhile 9 hour power supply in day time going to be assured.

Clever metres going to be installed & committed bank accounts going to be created solely for the purpose of paying the subsidy money. The cost of clever metres going to be borne by this discoms & the state govt.

He stated the state govt has been spending INR 1,700 cr for strengthening the power feeders & INR 8,300 cr per annum towards free power scheme.

Alleging that during this recent TDP rule, only 40 per cent of feeders have been functioning, he said that the YSRCP govt enhanced it to 89 per cent. The rest gap going to be filled by this rabi season. There have been 18 lakh power connections within the state & all connections of farmers going to be regularised, he stated.

The cabinet also gave in-principle sanction for constructing 2 barrages downstream of the Prakasam barrage, every with a holding capability of Three TMC. The 1st 1 going to be built between Penamaluru & Mangalagiri with an estimated budget of INR 1,215 cr & the 2nd 1 between Mopidevi & Repalle with an expenditure of INR 1,273 cr.

The cabinet sanctioned different irrigation projects, involving Babu Jagjivan Ram Uttharandhra Sujala Sravanthi for irrigating Eight lakh acres in north Andhra area, with a budget of INR 15,389 cr.

And also gave its nod for constructing Varikapudisila lift irrigation project in Palnadu area with a budget of INR 1,273 cr. In the context of Rayalaseema Drought Mitigation Project, the cabinet sanctioned the works of 14 reservoirs & lift irrigation projects.

to boost aquaculture, the state going to set up the Fisheries University in West Godavari dist. with a cost of INR 300 cr within the next 5 yrs..

Land has been allotted lands for setting up of 2 medical colleges in Bapatla (51.07 acres) & Markapuram (41.97 acres), Venkataramaiah stated.

The cabinet sanctioned establishment of AP State Development (devt) Corporation for scheduling & funding of the state govt’s welfare schemes like Nadu-Nedu, Cheyutha, Aasara, & Rythu Bharosa.