The first budget presented by Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy for Rs. 2.27 lakh crore ran along expected lines. It is welfare, welfare, and only welfare. There are no allocations for any major developmental projects except irrigation. The budget speech read like the full text of YCP Manifesto which lays heavy stress on Navaratnalu welfare programmes for farmers, women and students. The Amaravati Capital City got just Rs. 500 crore with which it would be difficult to complete the already initiated works there.
Analysts say that both the Centre and the State have dealt a strong blow to the Capital City aspirations of Andhras. At the time of separate statehood, leaders of both BJP and Congress said that a capital city greater than Hyderabad and Delhi would be built for the newly created Andhra. But those promises fell flat as is evident from the latest experiences and particularly after the TDP was thrown out of power.
The main highlights of the budget are:
Rs. 8750 cr for YSR Rythu Bharosa
33.10 percent budget for welfare programs
Rs. 6455 cr for Jagananna Amma Vodi
Rs. 4962 cr for Jagananna Vidya Deevena
Rs. 1180 cr for DWCRA zero-interest loans
Rs. 13149 cr for irrigation
Rs. 29329 cr for rural development
Rs. 1.80 lakh cr revenue expenditure
Rs. 1778 cr revenue deficit
