VIJAYAWADA: Notwithstanding the problems due to the economic slowdown and Covid pandemic for the past two-and-a-half years, the State government has implemented welfare programmes for various sections to stabilise the State’s economy, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy has said.
In his reply on the general discussions on the annual financial statement (budget) in the Assembly on Tuesday, the minister said efforts of the government ensured GSDP growth rate recover to 18.47 per cent in 2021-22 from 5 per cent in 2020-21 and the per capita income increase from 4.36 per cent in 2020-21 to 17.58 per cent in 2021-22. He said the growth rate in agriculture, which fell from 12.53 per cent in 2019-20 to 10.4 per cent in 2020-21, improved to 14.5 per cent in 2021-22. Similarly, growth rate in industries, which was 0.4 per cent in 2020-21 and 4.36 per cent in 2019-20, improved to 25.58 per cent and in the service sector the growth rate, which fell from 12.17 per cent in 2019-20 to 4.58 per cent in 2020-21, improved to 18.91 per cent. “This is all due to the efforts of the state government. These figures, especially those regarding the Industries sector, should put an end to the rumblings of the Opposition over the issue,” he said.
Buggana, who peppered his 40-minutes reply with sarcastic remarks against the Opposition, wondered why the TDP members, who are supposed to be present in the House to give advice and suggestions, preferred to stay out of it and issue press statements. “Though they are no in the House, I chose to clarify the issues they raised,” he said.
Stating that when YSRC formed the government, it inherited economic problems and huge debts from the previous TDP government. While it was making efforts to set right the situation, the Covid pandemic happened. “Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) was affected and the State revenues decreased significantly. In 2021-22, as against the expected Rs 85,077 crore, the revenue was only 73,689 crore. However, we have not compromised on the welfare activities and efforts to curb Covid. The State, which was lacking in lab infrastructure two years ago, became one of the States with the best infrastructure to deal with Covid. The mortality rate too has been limited to 0.67 per cent, one of the lowest in the country,” he said.
Sustainable goals
Buggana asserted that Andhra Pradesh is one of the better performing States in the country in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in education, health, and sanitation sectors. “Our focus has always been welfare and during the Covid pandemic, this helped in stabilising the poor and middle class,” he asserted.
The education sector alone was allocated Rs 29,720 crore and agriculture Rs 11,387 crore. BC welfare was given Rs 29,143 crore. Hitting back at the TDP for their criticism over energy department allocations, he said the TDP government allocated just Rs 2,138 crore for the sector in 2018-19, while YSRC government allocated Rs 11,592 crore for the 2022-23. He said the most important achievement of the present government is decentralised administration through village and ward secretaries, which is ensuring transparency and accountability. The TDP government allocated Rs 6,448 crore for welfare in 2018-19, but spent only Rs 2,198 crore, allocated Rs 4,513 crore for BC Welfare, but spent Rs 2,271 crore. For minority welfare, it allocated Rs 1,102 crore, but spent just Rs 668 crore.
Whereas, the present government in 2021-22 allocated Rs 8,156 crore and spent Rs 7,128 crore for welfare with 15 days more to go. It allocated Rs 12,387 crore for BC welfare and spent Rs 10,858 crore and in case of minority welfare, Rs 1,434 crore was allocated and Rs 1,242 crore was spent.
On the issue of PRC, he said despite economic problem due to the Covid pandemic, 27 per cent of Interim Relief was implemented for government employees, which costs Rs 17,918 crore to the government and now 23 per cent fitment has been given, which will cost Rs 11,707 crore this year. Further with Chief Minister’s assurance to waive nine months of adjustments of IR, the state has to bear an expenditure of Rs 5,156 crore.