If one goes by the budget speech delivered by Andhra Pradesh finance minister Payyavula Kesav in the state assembly, the Chandrababu Naidu government is unlikely to implement any more welfare schemes as part of Super Six guarantees announced before the elections.
At present, the Naidu government announced only enhanced pension scheme and three free LPG cylinders scheme this year. It has made budgetary allocations for the same this year.
However, there are no concrete budgetary allocations for other schemes like Annadata Sukheebhava (new name given to YSR Rythu Bharosa) of providing Rs 20,000 to each farmer per year including the central assistance of Rs 6,000; Talliki Vandanam scheme (revised Amma Vodi) which provides Rs 15,000 to each mother for sending their children to schools; free transport to women in RTC buses etc.
Kesav, however, made a reference to these schemes in his budget speech and said the state government was committed to implementing Super Six promises made by the NDA partners before the elections.
“We have already implemented key promises like enhanced pension for various beneficiaries ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 15,000 a month and supply of three gas cylinders a year free of cost. We shall also implement other schemes,” he said.
In his agriculture budget, K Atchennaidu said the government has allocated Rs 4,5000 crore for Annadata Sukhibhava scheme, but he did not announced a concrete date from which it would be implemented.
Sources said going by the talk in the government, the schemes are unlikely to take off before the next financial year, commencing April 1.
“The government will delay the implementation of the schemes on the pretext of finalising guidelines and lack of resources,” they said.
Kesav said the new government was faced with several challenges due to mismanagement of state finances by the previous government, including diversion of state resources, erosion of state revenues by looting of natural resources and flawed policies in excise and sand mining.
He alleged that the previous government had resorted to discounting 25 years of future income by diverting the taxes of the government, exorbitant debt level and borrowing at high interest rates, borrowings in violation of central government guidelines; diversion of Centrally Sponsored Scheme funds; holding up payments for important schemes.
“The state economy is on the brink of collapse. It is in the hands of this generation now to restart and rebuild Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
