Amaravati, Jan 31 (IANS): The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to have Geneva-based educational organisation International Baccalaureate (IB) as partner for training the teachers of government schools and staff of the education department in handling IB syllabus that would be introduced from the academic year 2025-26.

The government will also recruit 6,100 teachers in government schools and fill 689 vacancies in the forest department.

These decisions were taken in the state Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday. The Cabinet meeting held at the state Secretariat also took several other decisions.

The Cabinet ratified fresh investment proposals worth Rs. 22,302crore in green energy projects approved by the State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB).

The Cabinet has also decided to enhance the retirement age of non-teaching staff of universities and higher educational institutions to 62 and fill 27 vacancies in the Legislature secretariat. It has given green-signal to implement the welfare calendar for the month of February and release Rs 5,060 crores towards the fourth tranche of YSR Cheyutha benefitting 26, 98, 931 SC, ST, Backward Class and minority women of 45 to 60 years age.

The Cabinet has also decided to appoint Secretaries for all 13,171 Village Panchayats having population of more than 500 people besides creating the post of Registrar in RGUKT by amending the Law.

It has also approved a proposal to issue bank guarantee to APDISCOMS to raise a loan of Rs 1,500 crore for extending distribution network, allot 1,272.7 acres of land to Greenko Pvt Ltd in Nandyal district for establishing solar power units and 42 acres for establishing IIT City in Tirupati district.

The Cabinet has also decided to reduce VAT on natural gas from 24.5 per cent to 5 per cent and amend rules of Advocates Welfare Fund 1987 besides accepting the Fourth Sate Finance Commission Report and the Government Life Insurance Fund 2024 proposals. It has decided to exempt 5,376 families displaced due to Pulichintala Project from paying registration and user charges of Rs 60 crore on allotment of house sites under the Navaratnalu-Pedalandariki Illu.

The Cabinet has also decided to establish Andhra Pradesh Legislature Institute of Legislative Study and Training to train newly elected legislature members besides allotting 500 square yards and 1,000 square yards of house sites to Chess player Alana Meenakshi Kolagatla and Tennis player Saketh Myneni, respectively.