Internet Permisson with API Level 31

Question

I have an app running successfully on Android for some time with targetSdkVersion 30 I'm compiling an update now with targetSdkVersion 31 as required by playstore. After changing targetSdkVersion INTERNET permission seems to be no longer available. Every AJAX request (new XMLHttpRequest()) is returning status 0 which means UNSENT

Any help is appreciated

Following is my config.xml

Thanks in advance

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<widget id="io.cordova.myapp" 
        version="1.8.0" 
        android-versionCode="10035" 
        xmlns="http://www.w3.org/ns/widgets" 
        xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
        xmlns:cdv="http://cordova.apache.org/ns/1.0">
    <name>Verpro</name>
    <description>
        
    </description>
    <author email="..." href="http://www....">
        
    </author>
    <content src="index.html" />
    <access origin="*" />
    <allow-intent href="http://*/*" />
    <allow-intent href="https://*/*" />
    <allow-intent href="tel:*" />
    <allow-intent href="sms:*" />
    <allow-intent href="mailto:*" />
    <allow-intent href="geo:*" />
    <platform name="android">
        <allow-intent href="market:*" />
        <config-file after="uses-permission" parent="/manifest" target="AndroidManifest.xml">
            <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
            <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
            <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
            <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
            <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" />
        </config-file>
        <edit-config file="app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml" mode="merge" target="/manifest/application">
            <application android:usesCleartextTraffic="true" />
        </edit-config>
        <edit-config file="app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml" mode="merge" target="/manifest/application/activity">
            <activity android:exported="true"/>
        </edit-config>      
    </platform>
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-whitelist" spec="1" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-geolocation" spec="~4" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-camera" spec="~4" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-barcodescanner" spec="^0.7.4" />
    <preference name="android-minSdkVersion" value="30" />
    <preference name="android-targetSdkVersion" value="31" />
    <icon src="www/icon.png" />
    <icon height="57" platform="ios" src="ios/icon-57.png" width="57" />
    <icon height="72" platform="ios" src="ios/icon-72.png" width="72" />
    <icon height="114" platform="ios" src="ios/icon-114.png" width="114" />
    <icon height="120" platform="ios" src="ios/icon-120.png" width="120" />
    <icon height="144" platform="ios" src="ios/icon-144.png" width="144" />
    <icon height="152" platform="ios" src="ios/icon-152.png" width="152" />
    <icon height="1024" platform="ios" src="ios/icon-1024.png" width="1024" />
</widget>

And this is the manifest:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<manifest android:hardwareAccelerated="true" android:versionCode="10035" android:versionName="1.8.0" package="io.cordova.myapp" xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <supports-screens android:anyDensity="true" android:largeScreens="true" android:normalScreens="true" android:resizeable="true" android:smallScreens="true" android:xlargeScreens="true" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" />
    <application android:hardwareAccelerated="true" android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher" android:label="@string/app_name" android:supportsRtl="true" android:usesCleartextTraffic="true">
        <activity android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|keyboard|screenSize|locale|smallestScreenSize|screenLayout|uiMode" android:exported="true" android:label="@string/activity_name" android:launchMode="singleTop" android:name="MainActivity" android:theme="@style/Theme.App.SplashScreen" android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize">
            <intent-filter android:label="@string/launcher_name">
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
</manifest>