A.P. Legislature budget session begins amidst a protest by YSRCP members

Andhra Pradesh budget session begins with Governor's speech addressing financial mismanagement and progress in state development.

The budget session of the Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) Legislature commenced with a speech by Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on Monday (February 24). He was flanked by Council Chairman K. Moshenu Raju and Assembly Speaker Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu.

Soon after Mr. Nazeer started addressing the MLCs and MLAs in the Assembly Hall, members of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans with the demand that YSRCP should be recognised as the Opposition party.

YSRCP president and former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, ex-minister Botsa Satyanarayana and senior MLC Umareddy Venkateswarlu were seated in their allotted places when the YSRCP MLCs and MLAs raised ‘we-want- justice’ slogans.  Exactly 10 minutes later, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy called them back and they staged a walkout even as MLCs and MLAs of the ruling coalition heckled them, by shouting ‘shame..shame’.

Continuing his speech, Mr. Nazeer said the people have bestowed an unprecedented mandate on the NDA government in the Assembly elections and it reflected their trust and confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He observed that it was a testament to the people’s will and also a strong statement against the misrule of the previous regime. 

The misgovernance that took place in the last five years (2019-24) pushed the State to the brink of financial collapse, he pointed out. Mr. Nazeer further said the white papers released by the government revealed the gross mismanagement of State finances, diversion of resources, looting of natural resources, flawed excise and sand mining policies during the given period.

Other things exposed were diversion of government taxes, exorbitant debt level and borrowings at high interest rates in violation of Government of India guidelines, misuse of funds provided under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) etc.

The Governor asserted that the government has taken significant strides in getting the State back on track in the last eight months. Seventy four out of 93 CSS which were stopped by the previous government, have been revived by clearing liabilities amounting to ₹9,371 crore. This paved the way for  further fund releases by the Centre for current and future years.