Interim budget presented in AP amid protests by TDP MLAs

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath on Wednesday presented an interim budget for an amount of Rs.2.86 lakh crore for 2024-25 with thrust on continuation of welfare schemes amid noisy protests by the Opposition MLAs.

Speaker Thammineni Sitaram suspended 10 TDP MLAs for one day for creating unruly scenes. The protesting MLAs rushed to the well of the House as soon as the third day of the budget session commenced raising slogans against failure to complete Polavaram project and the government's 'anti-farmer' and 'anti-people' policies. Former Minister and TDP MLA from Rajamahendravaram Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdhary said there was nothing to cheer in the budget and described the budget as jugglery of figures.. Earlier, the Opposition MLAs and MLCs staged a dharna outside the Assembly and later raised objections as soon as the vote-on-account was presented. Earlier, the State Cabinet approved the budget proposals.

The FM, who felt proud for the opportunity to present the budget for the fifth time in a row, put the revenue expenditure at Rs.2.30 lakh crore. An allocation of Rs.30,530 crore has been made for capital expenditure. The fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs.55,817 crore. Revenue deficit in GSDP is shown as 1.56% compared to 3.51% fiscal deficit in GSDP.

The FM said under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, they have implemented various welfare schemes as enshrined in the Navaratnas. The interim budget laid emphasis in continuing the good work with renewed vigour and commitment, he stated.

The revenue deficit is Rs.24,758 crore. The fiscal deficit is projected at Rs.55,817 crore.. The full budget will be presented after the general elections.

In his address, Buggana said they have found new methods to find out solutions to the problems faced by the State with emphasis on e-governance and service at the doorsteps of the people at the grassroots through decentralisation. He said strengthening the government from the village level, reorganising the administrative machinery and vesting powers with the people have remained their priorities during the past four and half years. He said one of their major achievement was setting up of 15,004 ward secretariats with 1.35 lakh employees. Volunteer system has been introduced with 2.66 lakh people to provide transparency and faster delivery of various services.

He said the YSRCP Government is also credited with creating one district for each parliamentary constituency for effective decentralisation.