Andhra Pradesh’s ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has termed the Union Budget 2022-23 “disappointing”.

The party said they had expected a booster dose but it appeared like all style but no substance.

YSRCP Parliamentary Party leader V. Vijayasai Reddy said the allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore for capital expenditure seems huge but when it comes to the state’s share as per the set formula, Andhra Pradesh gets just 4.047 per cent which works out to only Rs 4,000 crore.

In case of the FRBM as well, while the set norm is not more than 3 per cent of the GSDP for states, there is no parity with respect to Centre on the borrowings. The state is still bearing the brunt of wrong decisions of the previous government, he said.

Citing the statistics, he said while the fiscal deficit of Union Budget was 9.3 per cent for 2020-21, 6.9 per cent for 2021-22, and is estimated at 6.4 per cent this year, Andhra Pradesh registered a deficit of 5.48 per cent and 3.94 percent during the past two years and yet there are restrictions on FRBM.

Reddy said that the proposed budget for 2022-23 is nearly Rs 40 lakh crore, with an increase of Rs 4.5 lakh crore than that of the last fiscal and the Country’s growth rate for 2021-22 is at 9.2 percent. He said this is much better than any other country, especially while fighting Covid. Further, he appreciated the increase in capital expenditure by 35 per cent than the previous allocations, where Rs 7.5 lakh crores has been allocated in the current budget which is 20 per cent of the budgetary allocations.

On interlinking of rivers Krishna-Godavari, Krishna-Penna, and Penna-Cauveri, he said that the state government had already interlinked Godavari-Krishna Rivers with its own funds and thus, appealed to compensate the state.

The state government has been pushing for three development projects which include a dedicated freight corridor from Kharagpur to Vijayawada, freight corridor connectivity to ports in Andhra Pradesh andthe Bhogapuram National Highway, but no announcements were made in this regard, he said.

Similarly, he mentioned that no announcements were made towards the development in healthcare sectors and no attention was paid towards research and completely ignored health insurance for the middle class people.

In regard to agriculture, he said that the Centre had completely ignored increasing the allocations of PM Kisan and failed to include tenant farmers under the scheme and also ignored paddy procurement policy and MSP for crops. The YSRCP leader stated that the shortfall in GST compensation of states was not addressed in the budget and appeals to extend the compensation period were ignored.

He welcomed an increase of the tax deduction limit of state employees to 14 percent, and duties’ reduction on shrimp production and aquaculture.

The YSRCP, however, opposed the privatisation of profit-making public sector units like the LIC, HPCL, VSP and the like. He said there was no encouraging mention of MGNREGS. The budget also has no mention of health insurance to the middle income group which forms over 56 per cent.

As if to answer the critics about his sudden silence, YSRCP general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Vijaysai Reddy has begun “Praja Durbar,” an interface to understand and solve the problems of the common people in Visakhapatnam. Anyone can meet Vijaysai and get their problems addressed immediately through this Praja Durbar.

According to sources close to the MP, the Praja Durbar would be on for five days a week from Monday till Friday, during which anyone can meet him without any appointment. Vijaysai will directly speak to the concerned officials and resolve their issues quickly sans any bureaucratic red-tapism. Till now, Vijaysai used to listen to the problems of only those who used to meet him with a prior appointment. Now, they can meet him during the Praja Durbar without any hassles.

Political analysts see this move as an attempt to answer the critics who claimed that Vijaysai Reddy has fallen silent these days. There was also a buzz that YS Jagan had asked him to lay off Visakhapatnam in view of the opposition from the other leaders in the YSRCP. Several MLAs and other party leaders had recently complained that Vijaysai was controlling every lever of power in Vizag and that his nod was needed for even small things.

There were also reports that he had shifted his base to New Delhi these days. However, proving all these claims wrong, Vijaysai has begun the Praja Darbar. Not just that, he has also signalled his intentions to contest from Vizag in the 2024 elections.

MP Vijaya Sai Reddy is known for his arrogant comments on opposition party leaders and he is always very active in social media. However, his silence in recent times is surprising many. Details as follows.

Vijay Sai Reddy, in the recent past, trolled Pawan using nick names and foul language. He also used derogatory words on Kapu community some times and Kapu leaders complained to police on him. However, in the last 3 days, political atmosphere in the state has been charged and intense war of words is going on between Janasena and YSRCP leaders but still he is not responding on the issue. If he were the same person as earlier, he would have attacked Pawan with the most severe words by now. But he is silent and that surprised many.

While some say he didn’t get any confirmation for extension of his Rajya Sabha which is due to expire next May, some others say he has been maintaining silence since last couple of months due to unknown reasons. It is known news that, Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju, Vijaya Sai, Pawan and others met in Delhi recently during a marriage function and didn’t hesitate to let the public know about it.

We need to wait and see whether Vijaya Sai will respond on the ongoing issue or maintain strategic silence.

YSRCP general secretary and Rajya Sabha member V.Vijayasai Reddy urged people to complain to him if anyone indulges in ‘land settlements’ or any other illegal activities in his name.

Vijayasai said he will soon release two toll-free numbers on which people can complain against those who indulge in settlements on his name.

Vijayasai said he has no interest in money or property or any wealth adding that even the house in which he lives in Hyderabad is a rented one.

He expressed his desire to settle down permanently in Vizag or Bheemili.

He said he has plans to buy four acres in Bheemili and settle there in the futre.

Vijayasai said his only goal is the development of North Andhra region.

He stated that he was focussing on North Andhra region as per the directions of party chief and AP CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy and has no personal interests there.

If anyone tries to misuse my name or position to indulge in land settlements or illegal activities, I will take severe action against them and requested all to complain to him if they find such people anywhere.

Senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member V. Vijayasai Reddy on Tuesday said neither corporate schools nor Nara Chandrababu Naidu are opening their mouths on the issue of capping schools and intermediate fees.

“Corporate managements (of schools and junior colleges) are tight-lipped and Babu (Naidu) is keeping quiet because he is scared that people will be after him,” claimed Reddy.

He made these remarks in the light of Andhra Pradesh School Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission (APSERMC) capping and regulating private school and junior college fee structures for the next three years.

The commission capped school fees between Rs 10,000 to Rs 18,000 per annum from nursery to the tenth standard in three categories depending on the type of location.

Similarly, it capped intermediate course fees between Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000 per annum for various courses, including hostel and coaching fees for both schools and junior colleges.

Hostel fees have been capped between Rs 18,000 to Rs 24,000 per annum while there is a uniform Rs 20,000 cap per annum on competitive examination coaching for students in intermediate courses.

Reddy lashed out at some sections of the media for talking against fee regulation.

According to the MP, Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s education initiatives for the sake of poor students’ future are bold and exemplary.

He said many experts praised the CM’s schemes and programmes to further education, which saw a total investment of Rs 26,678 crore in the past two years.

The CBI Court in Hyderabad on Tuesday (today) expressed anger at YSRCP MP V.Vijayasai Reddy over refusing to accept the notice sent by the petitioner in a case pertaining to cancellation of bail granted to Vijayasai Reddy.

YSRCP rebel MP K.Raghurama Krishna Raju filed a petition in the CBI Court on August 3 seeking cancellation of bail granted to Vijayasai Reddy. In his petition, Raju stated that Vijayasai is flouting bail conditions and influencing witnesses by exerting his poltical clout as Rajya Sabha member.

The petition came up for hearing in CBI Court today.

The lawyer representing Raju informed CBI Court that Vijayasai Reddy refused to accept the notice sent by petitioner. The lawyer informed the court that Vijauyasai argued that he will accept notice only if ordered by the court.

The CBI Court expressed severe anger on Vijayasai saying when CBI has accepted petitioner’s notice, how can Vijayasai refuse to accept.

The court directed CBI and Vijayasai to file counters in this case and adjourned the case to August 13.