Andhra Pradesh lags behind Telangana in development, income generation, says CPI

CPI plans to take out padayatras from June 12 in the colonies of Polavaram project displaced families seeking justice for them, says Ramakrishna

Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary K. Ramakrishna has criticised the Andhra Pradesh government for not focussing on development by investing in creation of infrastructure and improving income generation on the lines of the Telangana government after formation of the new State.

On the 10th Formation Day of Telangana, it was pertinent to point out that as on June 2, 2014, the revenues of Andhra Pradesh and Telagnana were ₹65,619 crore and ₹51,042 crore respectively. The revenues of Andhra Pradesh were higher by ₹14,603 crore, Mr. Ramakrishna said while addressing the media on Friday.

But, by the end of the 2022-23 fiscal, Andhra Pradesh’s revenue was ₹1.58 lakh core against Telangana’s ₹1.59 lakh crore, he said.

The Information Technology exports in the country were ₹11.55 lakh crore, and Andhra Pradesh’s contribution in it was only ₹962 crore (0.14%) against Telangana’s ₹1.81 lakh crore, Mr. Ramakrishna said.

“Essential irrigation projects have been forgotten by the State government. Andhra Pradesh is ready to reduce the height of the Polavaram project from 45 metres to 41.15 metres to store only 92 tmcft of water, which is atrocious. People should oppose it,” he said.

A padayatra would be launched in the Polavaram project displaced persons’ colonies / villages from June 12 seeking justice for them, he said.

From June 10, ‘Rythu Jathas’ would be organised in Anantapur district to demand completion of the HNSS and HLC modernisation works, apart from widening the HNSS capacity to 15,000 cusecs from the present 3,500 cusecs, Mr. Ramakrishna said.