Anam's maiden budget has no new schemes, taxes

Express News Service
First Published : 24 Feb 2011 03:30:54 AM IST
Last Updated : 24 Feb 2011 11:19:19 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Amid utter chaos and continuous slogan-shouting by the Opposition members, Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on Wednesday presented his maiden budget in the State Legislative Assembly for the year 2011-12.

The size of the budget has been increased by Rs 15,000 crore compared to the previous one, taking the total budget size to Rs 1,28,542 crore.

Ramanarayana Reddy claimed that he gave equal importance to both welfare and development and the Budget was aimed to achieve the goal of 'Haritaandhra Pradesh'.

It is estimated that the revenue surplus would be Rs 3,826 crore and fiscal deficit Rs 17,602 crore, which would be 2.95 per cent of the GSDP.

During his budget presentation, the finance minister said the economy was slowly recovering from the impact of recession and hoped that the State's economy would grow by 8.89 in 2010-11.

"The good growth in the GSDP is also expected to translate into buoyant revenue collections in the coming year at approximately 20 per cent higher than the current budget," the finance minister said.

Though there were no schemes announced in the Budget, the State government created a fund with Rs 400 crore to take up development and welfare activities in due course.

"Whenever the government wanted to take up new programmes, lack of budgetary allocation was coming in the way. This year we have created a fund with Rs 400 crore to overcome such a problem," the finance minister said.

On the flagship programme of the State, the Jalayagnam, the minister said the State had been putting pressure on the Centre for declaration of the Polavaram and the PranahitaChevella as national projects.

The Polavaram was in an advanced stage for consideration as a national project, while the PranahitaChevella was being pursued vigorously for clearances under AIBP to become eligible as national project.

In a decision which is likely to cheer government employees, the finance minister said the Rajiv Arogyasri Trust would also shortly administer the health care needs of government employees and pensioners. A scheme was being worked out, he said.

The government was committed to establishing Jana Aushadhi and Jana Jeevani centres in all the districts to market quality generic medicines at reasonable prices.

In addition to medical colleges in Nizamabad and Ongole, the government would also take up construction of a new building at a cost of Rs 200 cr for the Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad.

The Constituency Development Programme would continue in 2011-12 and Rs 385 crore had been allocated for this, the minister said.