1.35 Lakh Crores Budget For AP, Kapus Get 1000 Crores

The Andhra Pradesh government today presented a mammoth budget of Rs 1.35 lakh crores for 2016-17, 20% higher than the last fiscal budget of Rs 1.13 lakh crores.

Finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu presented the budget proposals in the Assembly, which included as usual a hefty non-plan expenditure of Rs 86,554 crores and plan expenditure of Rs 49,134 crores.

Interestingly, the State government allotted Rs 1,000 crores for the Kapu Development Corporation in the wake of the violent Kapus protests seeking inclusion of their community into the BC category recently.

Yanamala read out English version of the Budget, and detailed the priorities and objectives of the government. He posited an optimistic picture of the State's affairs, and said that the State had registered a growth of 10.9% despite the global gloom. He showed a revenue deficit of Rs 4,868 crores and a fiscal deficit of Rs 20,497 crores, which were 0.71% and 2.99% of the GSDP respectively.

The minister complained again about the unscientific bifurcation of the State, and the challenges it posed for the truncated State, but said the State was overcoming the challenges.

"Though the State has been facing challenges, financial constraints and scarcity of resources, we are slowly able to surpass the obstacles thanks to the able leadership and firm determination of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Our mission is to achieve inclusive growth of the State with a focus on priority sectors," he said.

The State government was focusing on attracting investments, Yanamala asseverated.

The budget allotted Rs 1,500 crores for the construction of Amaravathi in addition to the Centre's allocation. He expected revenues to grow to Rs 57,813 crores this year from Rs 49,764 crores last year, and funds from the Centre amounting to Rs 3,500 crores for Polavaram, Rs 935 crores towards CST, and Rs 750 crores for seven backward districts.

Other budgetary proposals announced include a notification for 20,000 posts to be filled up, Rs 3,512 crores for the crop loan waiver, Rs 1,195 crores for rural water, Rs 4,467 crores for rural development, Rs 1,133 crores for housing, Rs 7,502 crores for human resources, Rs 4,020 crores for higher education, Rs 2,933 crores for health, Rs 750 crores for mid-day meals, Rs 320 crores for fiber grid, Rs 360 crores for IT, Rs 228 crores for tourism and Rs 215 for sports.

The house was also presented with an agriculture budget of Rs 16,250 crores for 2016-17.

The Speaker adjourned the house to March 14 at the end of the budget presentation.

The budget copy was presented to all members of the Assembly via tablets this year.