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Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said that the budget presented by Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav reflects the aspirations of five crore people of Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly during the discussion on the Appropriation Bill, Pawan Kalyan said that despite financial difficulties, the government presented a budget of Rs 3.32 lakh crore. He stated that the government is spending Rs 33,000 crore on social security pensions to support the poor and vulnerable sections of society. He alleged that the previous YSR Congress Party government pushed the state into financial disorder. "Because of the power purchase agreements made during the previous government, DISCOMs suffered losses of Rs 12,250 crore, and the total losses of power utilities touched 1.29 lakh crore," he said. Pawan Kalyan added that the coalition government has reduced electricity charges by cancelling the 'true-up' mechanism and introducing 'true-down'. He further alleged that the previous government left behind debts of nearly 9 lakh crore and pending bills worth Rs 35,000 crore. Out of these, the present government has already cleared around Rs 25,000 crore. The Deputy Chief Minister said the coalition government is prioritising drinking water supply under the Jal Jeevan Mission, identifying drinking water issues in nearly 3,000 villages and aiming to provide safe drinking water to 48,000 habitations across the state. He also said the government is focusing on improving road infrastructure, adding that while about 8,500 km of roads were laid during the previous government's tenure, the coalition government has laid 17,500 km of roads in two years. Pawan Kalyan said several neglected projects, such as Polavaram Project and Amaravati, are being revived by the present government. Calling for unity within the alliance, he said the coalition must remain strong to ensure the development of Andhra Pradesh and expressed hope that the alliance will work for the state for the next 15 years. Targeting the opposition, he remarked that though the YSRCP has only 11 members in the Assembly, they behave as if they have 1,100 members and often repeat false narratives. He also said politics should rise above caste divisions, warning that abusing others and hiding behind caste identities would harm the state's progress. Pawan Kalyan concluded by stating that all institutions in a democracy must work together and emphasised the need to strengthen the judiciary with better infrastructure and resources. Andhra Pradesh unveiled a 3.32 lakh crore budget for the 2026-27 financial year, presented by Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav on February 14, 2026. The budget prioritises "people-first growth," focusing heavily on education and healthcare. (ANI)
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