Government of Andhra Pradesh’s efforts to bring in the funds to the residuary State for the upliftment of backward regions seems to have been materialising in the form of approval from the Planning Commission and the Union Planning Ministry. The only approval that is pending is of the Financial Ministry and which likely would be accomplished within a week reported trusted sources.
It is a big achievement in its own kind because 90% of the quoted amount is going to be approved by the Union government within a few days. While govt. of AP asked for Rs. 24,350 crores for the upliftment of the backward areas of the State, Union government is likely to sanction about Rs. 20,000 crores. And these would be used for the backward regions in Rayalaseema and North-Coastal Andhra.
These funds are sought for the development in four major areas of development in the State. The first one is the expansion of road networks. AP govt. has quoted Rs.7500 crores for this area. Rs.8,500 crores for the second area to provide safe drinking water, quality power supply, minor irrigation and tanks development. AP has asked for Rs.1,700 crores for setting up new regional hospitals alongwith strengthening women & child welfare programmes. The fourth area for which AP has sought Rs.3,000 crores is for improving infrastructure of education besides sanitation programme in the backward regions.
The major success in this fund boost from the Centre is that according to the AP Reorganisation Act, these funds are meant to develop the backward areas in Rayalaseema and North-Coastal Andhra. But according to reliable sources of AP government, Union has agreed to use these funds in 43 identified backward regions of four south and central districts of AP even.
There is one more task in front of the State govt. After the approval of the funds for backward regions of AP, though they would be released in the next financial year phase-wise; the state is going to make efforts to ask Union to release Rs.5,000 crores in the present financial year itself because there is a deficit of Rs. 16,500 crores revenue in the state. This fund boost for backward areas is the first major financial achievement of AP from the Union.
