Nothing much to cheer for AP

Visakhapatnam: The Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for 2022-23 has upset the Andhra Pradesh Government as it failed to dole out any sops to the State which is struggling hard to manage due to heavy commitments on welfare schemes, pay revision for employees and teachers and burgeoning overhead costs.

Though the demand for Special Category Status is treated as a closed chapter, the State had pinned hopes on getting approval for revised estimates for Polavaram project. The cost was revised at Rs 55,000 crore and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during his recent visit represented Prime Minister Modi and his ministerial colleagues to release funds to complete the project on time.

The budget, however, made a reference to the interlinking of Krishna-Godavari and Krishna-Pennar to prevent wastage of water. The funding pattern and implementation will be finalised in consultation with the beneficiary States, FM Nirmala Sitharaman stated in her budget address.

In his initial reaction, while supporting the emphasis laid to infrastructure improvement, YSR Congress Parliamentary Party leader V Vijaya Sai Reddy said the main demands of the State articulated by Jagan Mohan Reddy before the Central leaders had been ignored. He said there is no change that is highly objectionable as the share of Andhra Pradesh in devolution had come down from 4.04 from 4.31 percent as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission.