Get ready for a whirlwind of big moves by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet! In a powerful meeting on Friday, they approved crucial decisions that will shape the future of the state’s capital region and beyond. First up, the AP Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) is all set to pick up about 16,666 acres across seven villages—Vaikuntapuram, Pedda Madduru, Endrayi, Karlapudi, Vaddamanu, Peddaparimi, and Harishchandrapuram—under the Land Pooling Scheme II. That’s not all: another 4,200 acres of assigned and Lanka lands will also be used for major projects like the international airport, the futuristic quantum valley, an international sports city, the Amaravati railway station, inner ring road, and other essential infrastructure. Housing and Information Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy shared the vibrant updates, saying, "The CRDA would issue an LPS II notification in a few days," and reminded everyone that the new rules were published as recently as July 2025. Villagers have already given their thumbs up in Grama Sabhas, and the process will follow the APCRDA Act's Section 55(2) strictly. Next, brace yourselves for a tech marvel! Raiden Infotech India Private Limited, a Google-owned superstar, has bagged the Notified Partner status to build a massive $15 billion AI data centre in Visakhapatnam district. Imagine the tech boom that'll bring! The Cabinet also waved through a whopping ₹7,500 crore government guarantee loan from the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NABFID). This fund will boost infrastructure creation in the emerging capital city. Helping farmers and food security, the Cabinet approved a fresh ₹5,000 crore working capital loan via AP Markfed to support paddy procurement for the 2025-26 Kharif season. That’s a big sigh of relief for paddy growers. For billboards and ads lovers – new rules come into force! The AP Urban Local Bodies Rules 2025, replacing older 2020 rules, now demand strict licensing, permissions, and periodical structural stability checks for all billboards and display setups. Power up! Power discoms got the green light to borrow about ₹3,763 crore from NABARD with a government guarantee to roll out solar projects (rooftop and ground-mounted) for SC and ST households under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Following the High Court’s directions, the government allocated the Balimela and Jalaput Dam powerhouses to Orissa Power Consortium Limited, with a promise that half of the power produced will come back to Andhra Pradesh at fair rates set by regulators. On the digital front, a fresh special purpose vehicle will take charge of the revamped BharatNet programme, millions tight to build a high-capacity IP MPLS network, smoothly merging BharatNet with AP State FiberNet Limited to boost broadband services across the state. A big thumbs-up also came for ₹543 crore funding for the Polavaram project to keep the mega work moving full steam ahead. Knowledge flows next as the Cabinet approved a 50-50 funding share between the Centre and State to construct the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade campus in Kakinada for ₹230 crore. Last but definitely not least, brace for top-class medical education! The Cabinet okayed changes in RFPs and draft agreements to build ten new medical colleges under public-private partnerships. The rollout will happen in two phases—four colleges first, six next, at places like Adoni, Madanapalle, Markapuram, Pulivendula and others. Here’s the spicy part: land will be leased at just ₹100 per acre yearly, assets will revert to the government after a 33 plus 33-year concession, half the seats will be reserved under government quota per NEET rules, and fees will be tightly regulated by the AP Higher Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission. In sum, Andhra Pradesh’s Cabinet is cooking a massive feast of projects and funds that promise to transform the state’s infrastructure, tech landscape, agriculture, power, and education – keeping the vision of a vibrant, modern, and digital Andhra alive and kicking!