TDP unhappy with Union Budget’s allocations to AP, hits out at BJP

The Union budget, which was announced by the centre on Thursday, has not gone down well with Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The ruling party of Andhra Pradesh has said that it is disappointed and unhappy with the funds allocated by the centre to the state.

In addition to the Special Railway Zone, the state government had also urged the centre to release funds for the purposes of Amaravati, Kadapa Steel Plant and a railway division for the stretch between Vijayawada and Guntakal.

The centre has, however, not come forward with a heartening fund-allocation to the state. The Narendra Modi led government has allocated Rs 108 Crore for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Rs 32 crore for the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (or petroleum university), Rs 10 crore for a Central University, Rs 10 crore for a Tribal University, Rs 54 Cr for NIT, Rs 50 Cr for IIT Tirupati, in addition to a few other allocations.

“We have been expecting a lot. However, there is no mention of Andhra Pradesh in the budget speech, barring allocations for a few educational institutions that are mandatory as per the Bifurcation Act. It is disappointing,” state finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu was quoted as saying.

Minister of State (MoS) for Science and Technology and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader YS Chowdary, also expressed his disappointment by saying, “We are disappointed with the Union Budget presented on Thursday. Many pressing state issues like Railway Zone, Polavaram project funding, Funding for capital Amaravati and other pending issues of Andhra Pradesh are not addressed in the budget.”

With speculations rife that the alliance between TDP and BJP has been taking blows over the past few months, the recent issue seems to damage the bond further. It has also been learned that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, in a meeting with his party’s leaders, has expressed his disappointment over the allocation of funds to Andhra Pradesh.