Amaravati: Retired IAS officer Dr. PV Ramesh expressed serious concerns about Andhra Pradesh’s fiscal health, highlighting a widening gap between revenue and expenditure. Speaking at a Jana Chaitanya Vedika forum on Saturday in Guntur, Dr. Ramesh noted that while the state earns an average of Rs. 483 crores per day from taxes and other sources, its daily expenditure reaches Rs. 655 crores, resulting in a deficit of Rs. 172 crores per day. Additionally, the state pays Rs. 78 crores daily in interest on its debts, which have now ballooned to Rs. 14 lakh crores under YSRCP rule.
Dr. Ramesh criticized the current administration for neglecting long-term development in favor of short-term financial distributions aimed at securing votes. He pointed out that the anticipated revenue from VAT on petrol and diesel sales is falling short, urging an investigation into the causes.
Reflecting on the past, Dr. Ramesh praised former CM Chandrababu Naidu’s efforts post-2014 to attract foreign investments from countries like China, Japan, and Korea, which showed significant interest in Andhra Pradesh. However, he lamented that these initiatives were not sustained under the current government, leading to withdrawal of investments.
The forum also discussed the need for an American-style education system and a portal for skilled professionals. Former Minister Dokka Manikyavaraprasad and other speakers called for reforms in land administration to prevent land grabs and better management of natural resources. They passed a resolution urging the government to appoint Dr. PV Ramesh as an advisor.
