A.P. budget termed as debt-driven, unrealistic

Several political leaders, former bureaucrats and representatives of civil society organisations slammed the State budget at a round-table conference organised by Jana Chaitanya Vedika at Dasari Bhavan in Vijayawada on Wednesday (February 18), alleging that it lacked fiscal realism and failed to address key welfare and development concerns.

Retired IAS officer P.V. Ramesh, speaking as the chief guest, questioned the credibility of the budget’s revenue projections. He noted that the State’s revenue had grown by only about 5% over the past decade to ₹88,000 crore and expressed doubts over the projection of ₹1.25 lakh crore this year.

He said the State’s total debt had touched nearly ₹14 lakh crore and termed the proposal to raise an additional ₹1 lakh crore in loans as imprudent, recalling that the 16th Finance Commission recommended limiting borrowings to 3% of GSDP.

YSRCP senior leader and former MLA Malladi Vishnu alleged that thousands of crores of rupees in dues under Aarogyasri and fee reimbursement schemes remain pending, but allocations in the present budget were inadequate. He claimed that the government had borrowed ₹3.30 lakh crore over the past 20 months.

Jana Chaitanya Vedika State president Vallamreddy Lakshmana Reddy criticised the ₹500 crore allocation to the Price Stabilisation Fund and said the same amount earmarked for the Veligonda project was insufficient against the ₹4,000 crore required. He alleged overdependence on excise revenue.

Other speakers, including K.S. Lakshmana Rao, Uppulati Devi Prasad and V. Rambhoopal, faulted the budget for inadequate focus on agriculture, tenant farmers, SC/ST sub-plans and irrigation projects in Rayalaseema, describing it as debt-driven and lacking inclusive growth.