VIJAYAWADA: Former chief minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has expressed disappointment over the Union Budget. He said there was no mention of key issues like special category status to AP and implementation of provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act in the budget.
Stating that less priority was accorded to public welfare, agriculture, automobiles and service sectors, he said no budgetary allocations were made for metro rails in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, Kadapa steel plant and Dugarajapatnam port.
TDP senior leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu too expressed dissatisfaction over the Union Budget. He said there was no mention of capital city, Polavaram and other projects in AP.
Alleging that the Budget looks like a quotation book, TDP floor leader in Lok Sabha K Rammohan Naidu, felt that the interim budget brought more cheer to the people than the actual budget. It may be because there are no elections in the near future, he pointed out.
Rammohan Naidu said the Budget completely ignored health sector. If necessary action has not been taken to prevent non-communicable diseases, it will reduce GDP by 2 per cent.
The TDP leader said there was no mention of Andhra Pradesh in the State-wise distribution of funds and grants for the States hit by natural calamities. Unemployed youth have not found a place in the budget. “Disinvestment is on the rise. Does that mean government’s role in public sector is reducing? This Budget is all about populism and not a trace of prudence,’’ he observed.