Oppn terms budget ‘a bundle of lies’

THe YSR us congress company on sat criticised the yearly tell budget for financial year 2026-27 as a “bundle of lies” which concealed more than it revealed.Addressing the budget after it was presented on Saturday, former state finance minister and senior YSRCP leader Buggana Rajendranath Reddy claimed that while the budget spoke highly of the state’s growth rate and compared it with that of Centre, the corresponding rise in revenues allegedly did not support its assertions.“One shining example is that of the Jal Jivan Mission, the Central scheme. While the Centre has spent ₹8,500 crore nationwide, the state government had claimed that it had spent ₹10,000 crore in the state,” he pointed out.He added that the revenue figures of the previous year and the revised estimates left a yawning gap and how the government will fill it in the last quarter is “anybody’s guess”Meanwhile, chief minister N Chandrababu described the budget as the best budget possible, given the financial situation of the state. “Though low revenues and high expenditures are a legacy we inherited, we are managing the situation with the cooperation of the Central government,” he said, and stressed the need to generate higher income from agriculture and also increase revenues from the service sector.Naidu added that his government had transformed the face of Rayalaseema. “We have made an allocation of ₹30,000 crore to develop Rayalaseema as a horticulture hub. We are working seriously to supply water to the drought-prone Rayalseema through the Handri Neeva project,” he said.The chief minister added that steps have been taken to connect Amaravati’s roads to national highways, to push up revenues through increased connectivity.Bharatiya Janata Party leader and state health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said the budget prioritised the welfare and development of the poor, farmers, women, and BC, SC and ST communities.He said the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline is evident from its efforts to reduce the fiscal deficit from 5.11% in 2024–25 to 4.57%, with a target to further bring it down to 3.84%. The decision to cut the revenue deficit from 2.33% to 1.88% would strengthen the State’s financial self-reliance, he added.Jana Sena Party leader and state civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar said the budget allocated adequate funds for the ‘Super Six’ welfare schemes without compromise, including Deepam, free bus travel for women in RTC services, Talliki Vandanam and enhanced NTR Bharosa pensions.He added that Andhra Pradesh has set a national example by procuring paddy worth ₹10,950 crore during the kharif season and making direct payments to 93% of farmers within 24 hours.