Vijayawada, July 28, 2024: Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting L. Murugan said the Central government allocated approximately ₹50,475 crore for Andhra Pradesh (AP) in the Union Budget for FY 2024-25, which was about 4% of the total budget, including ₹15,000 crore for the construction of the capital city Amaravati. He asserted that the Centre was also fully committed to financing and early completion of the Polavaram project, which was AP’s lifeline.
Addressing media persons here on Saturday, Mr. Murugan said AP was in dire need of hand-holding from the Central government having borne the brunt of bifurcation and, on its part, the NDA-III Government was conscious of it AP)’s requirements.
Accordingly, the Centre made substantial allocations for the Capital and Polavaram and it was resolute in fulfilling the commitments given to the State under the AP Reorganization Act of 2014, with due priority to the development of infrastructure in the Kopparthy and Orvakal nodes in Visakhapatnam-Chennai and Hyderabad-Bangalore industrial corridors respectively The Centre also pledged financial support for the development of the backward regions of Rayalaseema (including Prakasam district) and the north coastal districts (Uttarandhra).
These and other significant budgetary allocations by the Central government were intended to catapult AP to a higher growth trajectory by leveraging its strengths. Top priority has been accorded to the development of the seaports, and fisheries and aquaculture sectors in which AP was a dominant player.
According to the reports published in thehindu.com Mr. Murugan further said the Central government was focused on transforming the resource-rich eastern States comprising Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and AP into the country’s growth engine as part of its Purvodaya initiative and it would deliver what had been promised at the time of elections.
The path to regaining the lost glory of AP has been made easy by the formation of a ‘double engine government’ by the BJP- TDP-Jana Sena Party alliance, which achieved an unprecedented victory over the YSR Congress Party in the just – concluded elections, he observed.
Replying to a question whether Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was right in approaching the High Court for Leader of the Opposition (LoP) status in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Murugan said the former CM was oblivious to the fact that rules do not permit his designation as LoP.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s claim that the alleged breakdown of law and order merited the imposition of President’s rule in the State reflected his intolerance to the good governance being provided by the ruling coalition, Mr. Murugan added.
BJP floor leader in the Assembly P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, State party’s chief spokesperson Lanka Dinakar, State media in – charge Pathuri Nagabhushanam, spokesperson S. Yamini Sharma, Minority Morcha State president Sk. Baji and party’s NTR district president A. Sriram were present.
