The Andhra Pradesh government announced a budget of Rs 2.94 trillion for the 2024-25 financial year on Monday (November 11), aiming to ‘restart the financial wheels of the state’. State’s Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav, presenting the budget in the Assembly, said the budget would help revive the state economy and support wealth creation.
This is the first budget presented by the N Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh after the NDA coalition – including Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP) and Bharatiya Janata Party - swept the state elections earlier this year.
Financial projections and allocations
The estimated revenue deficit of Andhra Pradesh stands at Rs 34,743 crore (2.12 per cent of the GSDP), while the fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 68,743 crore (4.19 per cent of the GSDP). Out of the total budget, Rs 2.36 trillion is allocated to revenue expenditure, and Rs 32,713 crore is set for capital expenditure.
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Key allocations in the budget include Rs 16,739 crore for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Rs 29,909 crore for school education, and Rs 18,421 crore for Healthcare and Family Welfare. Additionally, Rs 39,007 crore has been set aside for Backward Classes, Rs 18,497 crore for Scheduled Castes, and Rs 7,557 crore for Scheduled Tribes.
The Finance Minister allocated Rs 11,490 crore for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, with a special emphasis on urban growth and the ongoing development of Amaravati, the capital city. The Water Resources Department received Rs 16,705 crore, focusing on irrigation and a new Water Policy, while the Energy Department received Rs 8,207 crore to support the AP Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024.
Infrastructure and economic outlook
The Transport, Roads, and Buildings Department has been allocated Rs 9,554 crore, with funds designated for disaster response and mitigation. Criticising the prior administration for neglecting infrastructure maintenance, Keshav stated that current efforts are focused on reconstruction.
Concluding his address, Keshav voiced concern over the state’s financial challenges inherited from the previous government, which, he claimed, had left Andhra Pradesh in a fragile economic state.