Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu interacting with Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav and officials regarding AP annual budget, at his residence at Undavalli near Vijayawada on Wednesday.
The State government is preparing to present the 2025-26 annual budget in the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly on February 28. The Assembly session is set to begin on February 24.
In the wake of this, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the annual budget at his residence in Undavalli. Finance Minister P. Keshav and other senior officials participated in the meeting on Wednesday.
As the government had already announced the implementation of the “Super Six” schemes from 2025-26 financial year, key discussions were held regarding budget allocations for these initiatives. The government is preparing to launch schemes such as “Talli Ki Vandanam” (Respect to Mothers), “Annadata Sukhibhava” (Prosperity for Farmers), and free bus travel for women starting this year. Balancing both welfare schemes and development programs has become a challenge for the government in budget allocation. Mr. Naidu has guided officials on overcoming these challenges, according to sources
The coalition government is set to present a full-fledged budget for the first time after coming to power. In November, the coalition government presented a budget of ₹2.94 lakh crore for a five-month period for the financial year 2024-25.
It is learnt that Mr. Naidu, at the meeting, said due to the destructive policies of the previous government, Andhra Pradesh ranked at the bottom in terms of financial health. The previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government exhausted future revenues and failed to invest funds in capital expenditure, creating adverse conditions. Also, there was a fall in revenue due to policies like free sand distribution after coming to power. From the first month of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) tenure, the government increased pensions, spending an average of ₹2,720 crore per month on pensions. Additionally, schemes like Deepam 2 and Anna Canteens were launched.
Budget preparation has become a challenge, balancing both welfare schemes and development programs. There is some relief for projects like Polavaram and Amaravati with support from the Central government. Mr. Naidu requested the 16th Finance Commission to grant special assistance considering the State’s financial situation. The government assured that it would continue welfare measures while proceeding with development activities. The government is conducting extensive exercises for budget preparation, sources said.
Published – February 13, 2025 03:45 am IST
