On the 20th of May, Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, the Finance Minister of Andhra Pradesh, presented the annual Budget (2021-2022) of the State.
The Andhra Pradesh Government conducted a one day State Legislative Budget Assembly session. During the session, Buggana Rajendranath Reddy announced Rs. 2,29,779.27 crores budget for A.P., in the 2021-2022 fiscal year (FY.) In this budget, Mr. Reddy gave importance to the welfare schemes.
Budget allocations to Andhra Pradesh for the FY 2021-2022:
The A.P., Finance Minister allocated Rs. 24,624 crores for education, of which Rs. 3,500 crores would be for the implementation of the Nadu Nedu programme in schools and colleges. Of the remaining amount of 21,124 crores, Rs. 1,200 crores would be for the Jagananna Goru Mudda scheme, Rs. 750 crores for the Jagananna Vidya Kanuka programme and Rs. 1,973 crores for the higher education of students.
An amount of Rs. 1,000 crores has been allocated to fight the Wuhan virus or Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The State Finance Ministry provided Rs. 11,210 crores for the agriculture sector, Rs. 20 crores for compensation announced for farmers and Rs. 1,000 crores for the industry incentives.
In the A.P., Budget for 2021-2022 FY, Rs. 47,283.21 crores have been allocated for the women welfare and Rs. 16,748.47 crores for the children welfare.
An amount of Rs. 13,380 crores have been provided for the Medical and Health sector.
For sanitisation in the Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (APVVP) hospitals, the State Finance Minister allocated Rs. 100 crores.
In addition, amount of Rs. 88.57 crores were allocated for the YSR testing labs, Rs. 7,594 crores for the Roads and Buildings Department and Rs. 6,637 crores for the Electrical Department in A.P.
An amount of Rs. 8,727 crores were given for the Municipal and Rural Development and Rs. 13,237 crores for the Water and Irrigation Department.
In this budget session, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) showed 10 % growth in budget allocation to almost all the department, compared to the budget allocated in 2020-2021.
All the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the YSRCP attended the budget session. However, the MLAs and leaders of the opposition, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) boycotted the Budget Assembly session.
After the allocation of the 2021-2022 A.P., Budget, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of A.P., is expected to pass a resolution against the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP.)