Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu Presents Extensive Wishlist to Union Ministers Ahead of Budget Session
In a strategic move preceding the commencement of the Andhra Pradesh assembly budget session on Wednesday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu engaged in a series of high-level meetings with multiple Union ministers. The discussions centered on a comprehensive agenda encompassing project clearances, financial assistance, and the resolution of long-standing issues across critical sectors including irrigation, agriculture, railways, urban development, and steel.
Capital City and Financial Allocations Take Center Stage
During his interaction with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, CM Naidu strongly advocated for enhanced fund allocations to Andhra Pradesh under various central schemes. In a pivotal meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, Naidu formally requested an amendment to the State Reorganisation Act to officially designate Amaravati as the state capital, a move aimed at providing clarity and stability to the region's administrative framework.
Addressing Water Disputes and Polavaram Project Costs
The Chief Minister's dialogue with Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil focused on pressing water-sharing concerns. Naidu urged the constitution of a Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal to mediate issues with Telangana, while simultaneously raising objections to Karnataka's proposal to increase the height of the Almatti dam, citing adverse impacts on downstream water flows into Andhra Pradesh.
Furthermore, Naidu sought reimbursement for additional expenses incurred due to the expanded capacities of the Polavaram right and left main canals. He also requested substantial financial support for Phase II works of the Polavaram project, which involves land acquisition, rehabilitation, and protection bunds, with an estimated cost of approximately ₹32,000 crore. In a forward-looking proposal, he introduced the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar link project, designed to divert Godavari floodwaters to drought-prone areas for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes.
Additionally, the Chief Minister emphasized the need to publish the final report of the Vamsadhara Water Disputes Tribunal in the Gazette, a step that would facilitate the construction of the Neradi barrage.
Boosting Agriculture and Allied Sectors
In his meeting with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Naidu outlined the state's ambitious plans to strengthen agriculture and allied sectors. He appealed for the release of ₹216 crore pending under the PM-Pranam scheme for 2024-25, highlighting Andhra Pradesh's achievement in reducing chemical fertilizer usage by 2.28% and securing consent from 18 lakh farmers to transition to natural farming across 8 lakh hectares.
Naidu also sought ₹200 crore for the development of coconut cultivation, alongside support for establishing a coconut processing park, tender coconut markets, farmer training programs, and nursery expansion. He requested the disbursement of ₹695 crore under the ‘Per Drop More Crop' scheme and ₹100 crore due from the Centre under the price deficiency payment system for Totapuri mango farmers, noting that the state had already cleared the Centre's share to mitigate price declines.
In a novel initiative, the Chief Minister proposed the establishment of a Makhana Development Board, identifying 50,000 acres around Kolleru lake as suitable for Makhana cultivation.
Railway Infrastructure and Connectivity Enhancements
During discussions with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Naidu addressed both pending and new railway projects. He requested that the Bengaluru-Chennai high-speed rail corridor, announced in the Union budget, be extended to link Tirupati. Additionally, he sought a Gazette notification to operationalize the South Coast Railway Zone from April 1.
The Chief Minister advocated for greenfield mega coaching terminals at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Amaravati, as well as support for the East Coast freight corridor via Vijayawada. He also requested a 50% concession on empty reefer containers for banana exports from Tadipatri and approvals for new railway lines connecting Rayalaseema and tribal regions.
Naidu further sought sanction for high-speed and semi high-speed corridors between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, Vijayawada and Kurnool, and Tirupati and Chittoor. He proposed a new Hyderabad-Srisailam-Markapuram line and a Vande Bharat service between Vijayawada and Bengaluru via Tirupati. Additional requests included express train stoppages at Kuppam and the establishment of a coach maintenance terminal.
