Amaravati, February 28 – The Andhra Pradesh government, led by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), presented its budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, prioritizing welfare schemes, education, and infrastructure development. The Rs 3.22 lakh crore budget was tabled by Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav on Friday, reinforcing the government's commitment to its pre-election promises.
Major Welfare Initiatives
A key highlight of the budget is the introduction of the Talliki Vandanam scheme, which aims to provide Rs 15,000 per annum to school-going children from Classes I to XII, benefiting students in both government and private schools. The scheme is part of the Super Six poll promises made by the ruling coalition during the 2024 Assembly elections.Farmers remain a focal point in the budget, with the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme ensuring an annual financial assistance of Rs 20,000 to every farmer, irrespective of the state's financial situation. Additionally, the government has doubled financial relief for fishermen to Rs 20,000 during the fishing ban period.
The Super Six schemes also include:
- Rs 1,500 monthly assistance for women aged 19-59 years.
- 20 lakh jobs or Rs 3,000 per month as unemployment aid for youth.
- Free bus travel for women across the state.
- Three free LPG cylinders per household under the Deepam – 2 initiative.
Sectoral Allocations
The budget prioritizes various social welfare programs, with substantial allocations:- Scheduled Castes (SC) Welfare – Rs 20,281 crore
- Scheduled Tribes (ST) Welfare – Rs 8,159 crore
- Backward Classes (BC) Welfare – Rs 47,456 crore
- Minority Welfare – Rs 5,434 crore
The Finance Minister also announced plans to implement insurance-based health coverage of Rs 25 lakh per familyin the next fiscal year.
Infrastructure and Energy Development
The Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department was allocated Rs 13,862 crore, with Minister Keshav emphasizing that Amaravati’s greenfield capital city development is now self-financing, with funding secured from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and HUDCO, without requiring state budget assistance.The budget also set aside Rs 13,600 crore for the Energy Department, as Andhra Pradesh gears up to become a green hydrogen hub, positioning itself at the forefront of renewable energy innovation.
Other key allocations:
- Transport, Roads & Buildings – Rs 8,785 crore
- Home Department – Rs 8,570 crore
Fiscal Indicators
The estimated revenue expenditure stands at Rs 2.51 lakh crore, while capital expenditure is pegged at Rs 40,635 crore. The state is projected to have a revenue deficit of Rs 33,185 crore (1.82% of GSDP) and a fiscal deficit of Rs 79,926 crore (4.38% of GSDP).Political Overtones and Future Vision
In his budget speech, Keshav accused the previous YSRCP government of financial mismanagement, stating that the new administration inherited a "financially chaotic" state. However, he expressed optimism that under Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership, Andhra Pradesh would transition towards a prosperous SwarnaAndhra by 2047.Later in the session, Agriculture Minister K Atchennaidu presented a Rs 48,341 crore agriculture budget for FY26, further cementing the government's focus on rural development and farmers' welfare.
With a clear emphasis on welfare, infrastructure, and financial revival, the Andhra Pradesh government aims to drive economic growth while fulfilling its ambitious electoral commitments.
