AP Budget Earmarks Rs 17K Crore For Agriculture Sector 

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government headed by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy Friday made a massive allocation for its flagship Navaratnalu schemes, by granting over Rs 17,000 crore in the budget to the agricultural sector alone.

Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath presented the state budget for 2019-20 in the assembly, stating that their government sought to move away from 'income-less and meaningless' double-digit growth to usher in 'household income-based growth and development.'

He, however, did not specify how the cash-starved government would pool resources to meet the requirements for the welfare schemes.

While the total budget size was Rs 2,27,975 crore, economic services got the lions share of Rs 86,185 crore (37.80 per cent), followed by social services Rs 75,465 crore (33.10 per cent).

General services, which include salaries, got an allocation of Rs 66,324 crore.

The Finance Minister provisioned a massive expenditure of Rs 92,050 crore towards state development schemes, claiming it was 87.46 per cent higher than what was allotted in 2018-19.

Within the overall budget, the irrigation sector, which is one of the priority areas of the government, would get Rs 13,139 crore.

The Finance Minister provisioned Rs 8,750 crore for YSR Rythu Bharosa, the Farm Investment Support Scheme, which is expected to benefit 64.06 lakh farmers, including 15.36 lakh tenant farmers.

Another Rs 1,163 crore has been earmarked for YSR-PM Fasal Bima Yojana while Rs 3,000 crore has been granted for price stabilisation fund aimed at farm risk mitigation.

The governments other flagship programme, Jagananna Amma Vodi, which is meant to incentivise mothers for sending their kids to school, has been allocated Rs 6,455 crore.

The scheme, incidentally, has been named after Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Other schemes that got major financial allocation were YSR Aarogya Sri (health insurance) (Rs 1740 crore), YSR Gruha Vasati (housing) (Rs 5,000 crore) and YSR Pension Kanuka (old-age pensions) (Rs 12,801 crore).

Another Rs 3,000 crore has been earmarked for pensions to different other sections, including persons with disabilities, single women, fishermen and transgenders.

A meagre Rs 500 crore has been allocated for 'creation of essential infrastructure for new capital city' while another Rs 50 crore was allotted for Amaravati Capital City Development Project.

Having agreed in-principle to merge the ailing Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation with the state government, Rs 1,000 crore was granted to the body as an interim measure.

The corporation has also been granted another Rs 572 crore under different heads, including for purchase of new buses.

In tune with the Chief Ministers promise of establishing a steel plant in Kadapa district within three years, a budgetary provision of Rs 250 crore has been made for it.

The budget also had provisions for various castes to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore while Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for Trust for Welfare of Lawyers.

The Finance Minister allotted Rs 1500 crore each for development of infrastructure in schools and hospitals.

Also Read: AP Budget 2019-20 Highlights and Analysis

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