Andhra Pradesh Budget 2025: Key Sectors Prioritized in Coalition Talks

As the Andhra Pradesh government gears up for the 2025 budget, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav has ramped up efforts to finalize a comprehensive budget plan. Following the formation of the coalition government, the state is in the midst of in-depth discussions regarding budget allocations for various departments. These discussions, which have already taken place at the secretarial level, are now moving forward with inputs from the ministers of key sectors.

Minister Payyavula Keshav has held a series of crucial meetings with various department heads, aiming to create a budget that reflects the priorities of the newly formed coalition government. Focus has been placed on assessing the current financial year’s expenditure and determining how much of the allocated funds can be utilized in the remaining months. As the government works to finalize the budget, the finance team is scrutinizing data from multiple sectors to ensure proper allocation.

Payyavula Keshav's discussions with various ministers have focused on the key proposals from their respective departments. Notable among these have been the talks with Nimmala Ramanaidu, the Water Resources Minister; Kollu Ravindra, the Excise Minister; Dola Balaveeranjaneya Swamy, the Social Welfare Minister; Sandhya Rani, the Tribal Welfare Minister; and Farooq, the Minority Welfare Minister. In these sessions, the ministers presented their department's needs, stressing the areas requiring the most attention in the upcoming budget.

Principal Secretary of the Finance Department, Piyush Kumar, has been instrumental in coordinating these meetings, ensuring that each department's budgetary requests align with the broader goals of the state government. The focus has been on fulfilling electoral promises, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and ensuring that funds are allocated to priority sectors.

The Water Resources Ministry, led by Nimmala Ramanaidu, has been at the forefront of discussions, with the minister requesting significant budget allocations for several ongoing irrigation projects. These include the Handriniva, Veligonda, Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme, and Galeru-Nagari projects. However, it appears that no significant funds will be earmarked for the Polavaram project in this year’s budget, as it is expected that the central government will provide the necessary funding for this high-profile project.

Another area of focus in the budget discussions has been the welfare sector. In the previous budget, the Social Welfare Department received an allocation of Rs 18,000 crores. Minister Dola Balaveeranjaneya Swamy has now proposed an increase in funding for the department, highlighting the need for more resources to support the state’s welfare programs.

In line with this, the Women and Child Welfare Department, which was allocated Rs 4,100 crores in the last budget, is expected to see a rise in its budgetary allocation. Similarly, the Tribal Welfare Department, which received Rs 4,500 crores previously, is pushing for a 10 per cent increase in its allocation, as requested by Minister Sandhya Rani. These proposals indicate a continued commitment to enhancing welfare schemes, particularly for vulnerable groups in the state.