Andhra Pradesh budget focuses big on welfare, development

Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Buggana Rajendernath presented the budget for the year 2021-22, with an outlay of Rs 2,29,779. 27 crore, combining welfare priorities with development.

The FY 2021-22 outlay includes a Gender Budget of Rs 47,283.21 crore and Child budget of Rs 16, 748.47 crore, for the first time.

Presenting his third consecutive budget, the finance minister said the lion’s share is for social welfare, followed by agriculture and health sectors along with water resources sectors in tune with the policies and priorities of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government.

The revenue expenditure has been pegged at 1.82 lakh crores while the capital expenditure is estimated at Rs 31,198.38 cores. The estimated revenue deficit is around Rs.5,000.05 crore, while the fiscal deficit is estimated at around Rs. 37029.79 crore.

Apart from welfare sector which has got the maximum allocation, agriculture has been allocated Rs 11,210.80 cores, medical and health got Rs 13,830.44cores, and water resources was given Rs 13,237.78 crores.

In the Rs 31,256.55 crore Agriculture Budget tabled by Minister K Kannababu, Rs 11,210 crore or 13.6 percent of the total allocation, is alloted for agri schemes which include YSR Rytu Bharosa, YSR – PM Safal Bhima Yojana, Sub Mission on Agriculture Mechanisation, Price stabilisation fund, YSR agri testing labs, ex-gratia to farmers and others.

Rs 8,116.16 crore was alloted towards MGNREGA works and the agriculture budget also includes Rs 2,000 crore disaster management fund and Rs 13,238.78 crore for irrigation.

The sub plan for Scheduled Castes for the year is Rs 17,403.14 crores, for Scheduled Tribes is Rs 6,131.24 crores, for BCs it is Rs 28,237.65 crores and for Minorities it is Rs 3,840.72 crores. For Kapu welfare, it’s Rs 3,306 crore and Rs 5,478 crores for EBC welfare was alloted.

On the education front, school and Intermediate education, where Amma Vodi is applicable, Jagananna Vidya Kanuka, Jagananna Goru Mudha, get Rs 24,624 cores while higher education which includes Jagananna Vidya Deevena and Jagananna Vasati Deevena was allocated Rs 1,973.16 crores. For Nadu Nedu Mana Badi, Rs 3,500 crores was allocated for the year.

The health sector was alloted Rs 13,830.44 which includes, YSR Aarogyasri, Nadu Nedu hospitals, setting up of kidney research centre and super speciality hospital at Palasa ,104 and 108 services , assistance to APVVP, combating COVID-19 , Covid Vaccination, and others.

On the development and infrastructure front, Rs 3,763. 34 crore for industrial development. Rs. 7594.06 crore was alloted towards the Transport, Roads and Buildings Department and 6,637.24 crore for the energy sector.

For housing and infrastructure, Rs 5,661.57 crore was alloted, and Rs 865 Cr towards zero interest loans for SHG women, YSR Pension Kanuka gets 17,000 crore, YSR Cheyutha gets Rs GDevena gets Rs 5,723.15 crore.

Other allocations include, Vahana Mitra (Rs 285 cores), YSR Nethanna Nestham ( Rs 190 crores), EBC Nestham ( Rs 500 crores), Jagananna Chedodu (Rs 3,00 cores) Kapu Nestham (Rs 500 crores), YSR Law Nestham Rs 16.64 cores), Rural Development 18, 580.70 crores, Urban Development ( Rs 8,727.08 crores).