MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu in lok sabha
Fertiliser subsidy:
Almost 25% is allocated towards fertiliser subsidy. This will ease the financial pressure faced by farming community.
1/4 of it is allocated towards imported fertiliser. Domestic production of fertiliser was 36.2 lakh tonnes, much lower than the target of 41.5 lakh tonnes in October. These 2 figures don’t sit well when govt is talking a lot about atmanirbhar Bharat.
Government is looking towards commercially exploiting and ramp up the production of phosphorite deposits. Government should look to Kadapa basin in Andhra Pradesh which has huge deposits.
Food subsidy:
Another 60,000 crores is allocated towards food subsidy. Pradhan mantri Garia Kalyan ann Yojana has been recently extended until dec 2022. Given the inflation and food grain shortages, it will be wise to extend this scheme further.
NREGA:
NREGA has been allocated additional 16,400 crores but it still falls short of last years expenditure by 8600 crores.
Andhra Pradesh was allocated only 14 crore man days, which was reduction of 9.68 crore man days. This comes on back of AP specifically requesting for 26 crore man days in a review meeting in early 2022.
Fiscal deficit:
Govt had set the fiscal deficit target at 6.4% of GDP for FY 2022-23. India’s fiscal deficit in the first half of 2022-23 rose to 6.2 lakh crores, compared to 5.27 lakh crore last year. Now govt is asking for additional expenditure of 3.26 lakh crore. This will definitely push the centre’s fiscal deficit to exceed the budget target of 6.4% by around 80,000 to 1lakh crores.
Centre has time and again schooled states for exceeding their fiscal deficit targets. It’s time Center to lead either by example or understand the state concerns and increase the borrowing limits to states.
GST compensation to states: 9,951 crores:it is appreciable.
Centre revenue from fesses and surcharges as a % of gross tax revenue has increased from 10.4% in 2011-12 to 26.7% in 2021-22.
Either extend the GST compensation by 5 years or share the cess surcharges with the states.
JJM, land accusation for roads, railways.
Capex allocation:
Govt had an ambitious Capex target of 7.5 lakh crores, 24% higher than previous year.
CAG data indicates the between April and oct 2022, capex expenditure crossed 4 lakh crore mark. Which is little over 50% mark.
Under the supplementary demand for grants, capex has been augmented by 31,000 crore, indicating that close to 60% of the target will be achieved.
Government may say capex happens only when states come together, projects are identified, land allocation from state side is done and various other reasons. Let me give details of various projects in Andhra which are looking for capex spending from union govt.
Polavaram project:
Life line of Andhra Pradesh: solves drinking and irrigation problems: adjudged a national project in bifurcation act: there is no definite answer given to the question I raised in this house.
Pending investment clearance for revised cost estimate 2 to the tune of 55,548 crore.
Grant Funding for drinking water competent to the tune of 4,068 crores.
Remove component wise restriction: an expenditure of 2,390 cr is rejected bcos of that.
Settle the rehabilitation and resettlement bills. For the left side of the project land accusation and R&R is yet to be initiated for 40,000 acres.
Educational institutes:
AP reorganisation act directed to setup IIT, IIM, IISER,NIT, Central university, Petroleum university, agri university, IIIT, tribal university, and AIIMS. Except AIIMS most of these instructions are still running in a rented premises. State has already given land.
Ex: central university: allocated 56.66 cr in 2022-23 against a requirement of 1,500 cr. This will be enough for salaries not for building a new campus.
Interlinking godavari and Penna:
Health infra: 1)population of Andhra : 5cr 2) 13 +13 districts 3) 31 medical colleges
1)population of Tamil Nadu: 6.79cr
2)38 districts
3)46 medical colleges
3 medical colleges have been sanctioned request to support and sanction 14 more medical colleges.
Railways was sanctioned 9,125 cr for the year 2022-23 for new lines, doubling lines and electrification compared to 7,049 cr for year 2021-22, nearly 30% increase over last year.
Special category status:
There is no denying bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was done in an unscientific manner. Not only we lost our capital Hyderabad which was major revenue source to Telangana but also inherited higher debts and liabilities. Andhra was left with 45% revenues for 58% population.
To over come these challenges Andhra was promised SCS In this parliament by then prime minister. It was subsequently approved by the cabinet. Till date that commitment was not honoured. We believe government is a continuous process. Policies may change but promises should never be forgotten. SCS is the right of Andhra people. We will keep raising that, demand for that and fight for that. It may make few people uncomfortable.
