AP budget gives top priority to interlinking of rivers, primary education.
The Andhra Pradesh budget for 2016, presented to the State Assembly on Thursday, gave top priority to the interlinking of the rivers in the State. The other priority is for development of backward districts such as those in the North Coast and Rayalaseema. Finance Minsiter Yanamala Ramakrishnudu put the non-planned expenditure in the budget at Rs 86,554.55 crore and Plnned expenditure at Rs 49,134.44 crore. The budget deficit has been put at Rs 20,497 crore. The much-touted Polavaram project has been allotted Rs 3660 crore. Seven missions will work for the State's development and five grids. Primary education has been given a big push with the allocation of Rs 17,502 crore. The NTR Jalasri Phase 1 will look after the needs of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes farmers. The budget puts agricultural growth at 8.4%, services growth at 11.39% and industrial growth at 11.43%. The budget allocates Rs 4,785.14 crore for security, administration Rs 3,119 crore and hygiene Rs 320 crore. Capital Amaravati development has been assigned Rs 1500 crore, livelihood programmes Rs 4764.71 crore, rural development Rs 4,467 crore, Star Village and Wards Rs 3100 crore, sports Rs 215 crore, top industrialists Rs 377 crore, pensions Rs 2998 crore, urban administration Rs 4,728.95 crore, youth development Rs 252 crore, debt waiver Rs 3512 crore, women's development Rs 642 crore, minority welfare Rs 710 crore, Backward Classes welfare Rs 8332 crore, Scheduled Tribes welfare Rs 3,100 crore and Scheduled Castes welfare 8724 crore. The Kapu Corporation has been given Rs.1000 crore and Brahmin Corporation Rs 65 crore. Civil supplies have been allocated Rs 2702 crore, Midday Meal Scheme Rs 750 crore, House construction Rs 1132 crore, Higher education Rs 2642 crore, Primary Education Rs 17,502 crore, public gardens Rs 659 crore, Krishna pushkaram Rs 250 crore, tourism development Rs 227 crore and Health and medical Rs 2933 crore. The Polavaram project gets Rs 3660 crore, irrigation Rs 7325 crore, agriculture development Rs 5838.65 crore and poverty removal Rs 50 crore. Provision has been made for the other heads also.
