The Assembly passed the AP State Development Corporation Bill, 2020, giving statutory status to the AP State Development Corporation established as a public limited company in August this year to raise loans from different sources. 

It also passed the AP Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill that enables an additional borrowing of Rs 2,534 crore during 2020-21 financial year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Agriculture Minister K Kanna Babu, who moved the State Agriculture Council Bill, said there was no law at present to regulate agricultural and horticultural practice in the state.

The Council would help in improving and regulating the quality of inputs like seed, fertilisers, pesticides and services like irrigational technology, post-harvest marketing and export promotion.

"The measures will help in disseminating better and quality technical farm advisories to farmers by qualified graduates.

The Council will also accord permission to new agricultural and horticultural institutions and also issue recognition to institutions that have necessary infrastructure," the minister said.

The AP Agricultural Land (Conversion for non- agricultural purposes) (Amendment) Bill was also passed by the Assembly to replace an Ordinance issued in August.

Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) Dharmana Krishna Das said the government has agreed to the proposal that the lands put into use for establishment of solar power plants by different government entities be reconverted into agricultural lands after closure of the projects.

A reconversion fee of one per cent would be collected on the basic value on such lands, he said.

The House also cleared the AP Assigned Lands (Prohibition and Transfer) (Amendment) Bill that will facilitate the AP Green Energy Corporation Limited to take on lease lands originally assigned to various beneficiaries.

APGECL is the executing agency for the proposed 10,000 MW solar power projects and the existing law has been coming in the way for leasing of assigned land.

"To facilitate the leasing of land by APGECL from the assignees, the law is being suitably amended," the Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) said.

Home Minister M Sucharita also introduced the AP Disha Bill-AP Special Courts for Specified Offences against Women and Children Bill, 2019.

The Bill was previously passed by the Legislature in another name in December last year but the Centre recommended certain changes in the nomenclature and returned it to the state.

Accordingly, the state government brought in the new Bill. It is expected to be taken up for discussion on Thursday.