Vijayawada: The Opposition parties have expressed dissatisfaction over the “poor” allocations to AP in the 2023 Union Budget. Leaders of these parties termed the BJP-led Union Government’s budget as a budget of the “wealthy and elite classes” and that it “neglected” social welfare and development of several segments of the society.
Responding to the budget proposals, APCC president Gidugu Rudraraju said injustice has been done to Andhra Pradesh. He expressed concern that there was no mention of any funds for the backward areas of North Andhra and Rayalaseema.
Even for the Polavaram project, the central government avoided allocating funds. The budget did not give “due attention” to Amaravati and it has also not allocated funds for the constructions, he said.
CPM state secretary Srinivas Rao said that the Centre allocated less funds for AP in the budget. “There is no mention of any funds to the Visakha Railway zone, the Kadapa steel factory etc. There is also no allocation of funds for the development of backward areas like Uttarandhra, Rayalaseema and Prakasam district.
It was unjust that 15 per cent less funds were allocated for the tribal universities in AP and TS, compared to the previous year.
CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna termed the Union Budget “pro-wealthy” and felt it was of no use to a majority of the people. He said that the BJP government once again deceived AP by rejecting it the right of Special Category Status and ignored the 2014 Bifurcation assurances.
