CM Jagan Reddy 'happily' welcomes resignation of all 24 Andhra cabinet ministers

Andhra Pradesh Minister Perni Venkataramaiah on Friday said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy "happily" welcomed the resignation of his cabinet as the YSRCP chief is all set to strengthen the party's functions by ascending key responsibilities and prepare the leaders for upcoming 2024 Assembly elections in the state.

After finishing the final Cabinet meeting today afternoon, all 24 Cabinet Ministers have submitted their resignation letters to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at Andhra Pradesh Secretariat on Thursday. The new ministers will take oath on April 11, sources said.

"The decision of cabinet reshuffle taken by CM Jagan Mohan Reddy is happily accepted and welcomed by the ministers," the minister told media persons after the meeting.

He also informed that the Andhra Pradesh cabinet has approved various schemes for the development of the state in the meeting held earlier today.

"The cabinet approved to pay Rs 1,259 crore, as part of the implementation of Navratnas, Zero interest plan funds to be released on April 22. It has also approved the setting up of Revenue Divisions in Pulivendula with 7 zones and 8 zones in the Kotha Peta of East Godavari district and the formation of 12 police sub-divisions and 16 police circles as part of the redistricting," Venkataramaiah stated.

In addition, the cabinet has decided to continue the time limit and reservations of the Zilla Parishads and to sanction 12 new posts in the Agricultural Polytechnic College set up at Punganur in the Chittoor district including 1 teaching post, 5 teaching posts and 7 non-teaching posts, he added.

Further, the Andhra Pradesh minister informed that the cabinet approved the AP Millet Mission Policy to promote small grain crops from 2022-23 to 2026-27, the sanction of one Assistant General Manager and two Office Subordinates posts in State Education and Welfare infrastructure and development, he said.

Continuing the list of development schemes, Venkataramaiah said that the cabinet also approved the setting up of Ekalavya schools in different parts of the state, allotment of 82 acres in Kolimigundla, Kurnool District and 84 acres for Industrial Parks in Muthukur, Nellore District.

Bracing up for the 2024 Assembly elections in the state, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is all set for the Cabinet to rejig with as many as 19 ministers are likely to be dropped.

The Chief Minister is likely to induct new Ministers into the state Cabinet in a matter of few days, with anticipations running that the swearing-in could even take place on April 9.

Sources said that only four of the incumbent Ministers may retain their positions. The Chief Minister, sources said, will submit the final list of new Ministers to Governor Biswabhushan Harichandran before April 9.

Reddy on Wednesday, handed over the final list of the 19 Ministers being dropped from the Cabinet to the Governor, sources added.

In the current cabinet, there are five deputy CMs. Reddy is likely to have five new Deputy Chief Ministers as part of his strategy to strike a caste balance in the state. Currently, the five Deputy CMs represent Scheduled caste, Scheduled Tribe, Backward Caste, minority and Kapu communities.

Also, there are 11 Ministers from upper castes, including four from the Reddy community, seven from OBC, five from SC, and one each from ST and Muslim communities. With the State Assembly elections scheduled in 2024 in Andhra Pradesh, this rejig holds importance.

( With inputs from ANI )