VISAKHAPATNAM: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reaffirmed the Central government’s commitment to supporting projects in Andhra Pradesh that are linked to the Centre. Addressing the media after a post-budget interaction in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, she said, “We have always communicated our commitment to extend all kinds of support without any deficits to any project related to Andhra Pradesh that is linked with the Central government.”
She further stated that this assurance has been consistently conveyed to the Chief Minister whenever he met the Central leadership. “I will say it again today-whenever the Chief Minister approached us, we extended our support without any deficits,” she added. The Finance Minister highlighted the government’s efforts to revive the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, announcing a significant allocation of Rs 11,000 crore for its redevelopment.
She also stated that support is being extended to the development of Amaravati as the State capital. On the delay in the Polavaram project, Sitharaman attributed it to technical issues but reiterated the Centre’s commitment to its completion.
“We made a promise during the bifurcation, and we will fulfil it. Polavaram wi l l be completed,” she assured. Sharing her personal experience, she recalled living in Narsapur in West Godavari district and witnessing water scarcity firsthand. She highlighted the Jal Jeevan Mission as a major initiative aimed at providing clean drinking water directly to households.
She also underscored the importance of initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. The Finance Minister also addressed ongoing trade discussions with the United States. “We will have to see how the Commerce Ministry handles the negotiations in the US,” she stated.
She noted that Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is currently in the US for discussions aimed at safeguarding Indian exporters’ interests. Sitharaman reassured that India’s concerns have been effectively communicated.
“The government has taken key steps, including stakeholder consultations before negotiations, active discussions led by the Commerce Minister, and continuous data-sharing with industry groups to address exporters’ concerns,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Sitharaman and Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary launched a new Credit Assessment Model for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Announced in the Union Budget, this model will enable public sector banks (PSBs) to assess MSME credit applications based on digital data rather than relying on external evaluations.