The Andhra Pradesh state government is planning to table the annual budget in the second week of November this year. The finance department is working round the clock to present the budget in November. The finance department is holding meetings with other departments and collecting information from them about their requirements.
The state government proposes to table the annual budget for 2024-25 at Rs 2.9 lakh crore. Amaravati capital city and Polavaram project are likely to take the top slot in the budget allocation. The government is also working to place the Super Six promises on priority in the budget.
The government is also likely to present the budget with over 28 Central schemes where the state’s share is also required. The government is likely to give priority to the Central schemes this time in the budget.
The officials estimate that welfare and development of the state would take the highest priority. The government wants to show some increase for the welfare progrmames this time than the previous YSR Congress regime. The state government initially proposed about 20 per cent hike in the welfare programmes when compared to the previous government.
The budget would also have the schedule for implementation of the Super Six. While the free gas cylinders scheme is likely to be rolled out from Diwali, the other schemes would have a schedule announced in the budget. The government is firm on implementing the free bus travel for women as the second programme after the free gas cylinders.
The finance department is working on the number of beneficiaries for every scheme. The budget would have the number of beneficiaries clearly mentioned against every scheme including the monthly pensions for the aged. The state government is currently paying Rs 4,000 per month as old age pension.
The state government was originally scheduled to table the annual budget in July this year as the new government was formed in June. However, as they had no clarity on the loans and the state’s financial position, it did not present the budget. It took the vote on account budget in stead for Rs 2.86 lakh crore.
Again, in August, the government took the Governor’s approval for the second budget at Rs 1.29 lakh crore. This too is ending in November. Moreover, it has been five months that the government was formed and everyone in the government is aware of the financial position of the state. Based on this, the government would now present the annual budget tin the second week of November.
