Andhra Pradesh Budget

Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayan Reddy presented a 'tax and deficit free' budget for the financial year 2011-2012 in the state Assembly on Wednesday.

Ramnarayan Reddy, who made the presentation amidst a 'ring' of marshals and Congress MLAs, said that the Rs. 1,28,542 crores budget will see Rs. 80,984 crores as non-planned expenditure, while Rs. 47,558 crores will be planned expenses.

He also said that the estimated revenue surplus would be Rs. 3,826 crores while the fiscal deficit was put at Rs. 17,602 crores, 2.95% of GSDP.

Reddy said that he expected the state to receive up to Rs. 32,218 crores from the Centre (Rs. 16,826 crores as the state's share of central taxes and Rs. 15,392 crores from centrally-sponsored schemes).

He also expected another Rs. 2,359 crores from the 13,919 crores which was recommended by the 13th Finance Commission for the state.

Though the Finance Minister stated that the state government is committed to continue welfare schemes like the Rs. 2 per kg rice, free power supply to the farmers, Rajiv Arogyasri, old-age pensions, Indiramma housing, Pavala Vaddi under Indira Kranthi Padham, Abhaya Hastham, reimbursement of tuition fees and others, he did not specify the revenue allocations for these schemes.

The Finance Minister said that the government was attempting to use the resources on hand juidiciously and improve the productivity levels. He said that this was the rationale behind increasing the annual plan outlays.

Ramnarayan Reddy said that the total plan outlay for 2011-12 is Rs. 47,558 crores, out of which the expenditure for State plans is Rs. 42,931 crores, and centrally-sponsored schemes account for Rs. 4,627 crores.

The Finance Minister said that he has provided adequate funds for all welfare and development schemes in the proposed budget with a special emphasis on education, welfare, specially minority welfare, health, infrastructure, animal husbandry, youth advance and sports sectors.

Ramanarayan Reddy also said that the stat government is committed to reduce the unemployment rate in organized and unorganized sectors. As part of this commitment, the government is looking at ways to increase employment opportunities, he said.

Pointing out that Andhra Pradesh is in the forefront in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Ramnarayan Reddy said that 1.19 crores house-holds have been issued job cards in the rural areas with equal wages to both men and women. He said that as much as Rs. 14,069.90 crores have been spent to implement the employment scheme so far.

Another Rs. 12,000 crores would be set aside for the scheme for the next 3 years, he said.

Overall, irrigation, school education energy, agriculture, social welfare, medical and health and industrial sectors were given prominence in the budget allocations.

The sector-wise budget split-up is as follows:

Irrigation: Rs. 15,010 crores

School Education: Rs. 14,025 crores

Higher Education: Rs. 3,337 crores

Medical and Health Department: Rs.5,040 crores

Energy: Rs. 4,980 crores

Social Welfare Department : Rs. 2,352 crores

Tribal Welfare: Rs. 1,230 crores

BC Welfare: Rs. 2,104 crores

Minorities Welfare: Rs. 301 crores

Women Development and Child Welfare: Rs. 1,948 crores

Rural Development: Rs. 3,341 crores

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation: Rs. 773 crores

Municipal Administration and Urban Development: Rs. 5,080 crores

Implementation of Rajiv Yuva Shakti scheme and other youth welfare activities: Rs. 57.95 crores

Constituency Development: Rs. 385 crores

Special Fund for Development and Welfare activities: Rs. 400 crores

Infrastructure and Investment: Rs. 143 crores

Roads and Buildings: Rs. 4,108 crores

Industrial Sector: Rs. 858 crores

Agriculture Department: Rs. 2,606 crores

Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries: Rs. 931 crores

AP State Road Transport Corporation: Rs. 200 crores

Information Technology: Rs. 51 crores.