Hon.
Chairman Sir, we do understand that the hon. Finance
Minister has made her Budget very balancing. The capital expenditure
of Rs 10 lakh crore is coming to around 3.3 per cent of the GDP. There is a feel-good
factor among the middle class through direct taxes. But at the same time,
if the Government of India had slashed the LPG cylinder prices, they
would have managed to gain a lot of attraction from the women voters. Perhaps,
they missed that electoral gamble, I guess. Sir, primarily, I have got my own
reservations when it100 comes to
my State of Andhra Pradesh. My State was unscientifically bifurcated, and
the injustice is made to my State.120
# Many times, I have represented in this House itself and I would
reiterate it today. It is deeply bothering. This is the ninth
consecutive year of the Budget of this Government, but there are no prominent
allocations made for my State. It is really heart-wrenching for
the State of Andhra Pradesh. As I said, the State of Andhra Pradesh
was bifurcated by the same old Congress party without any rhyme or reason. Just
only for the political foul play200
or the political benefits, they had split Andhra Pradesh. This division is just
like a birthday cake. There is no scientific evidence. When the State was
getting bifurcated, they should have seen the repercussions. But, as I
said many times,240 # the
Hyderabad Capital City is given to the State of Telangana. It has never
happened in the history of independent India when a State got bifurcated and
the Capital city was restored with the residual State. But, here, it is
completely different. The people of Andhra Pradesh have invested their sweat
and blood for about 70 years here. In turn,300
what have we achieved? The great Hyderabad city went to the State of Telangana.
As I said, during the last nine years, there is no prominent budget allocation
for the State. As the Act was made on the floor of the House, the
Government of India should have honoured and implemented the Act. Now, the
Ruling Party is leaving the360
# people of Andhra Pradesh in the lurch. I want to reiterate one thing
very loud and clear. Parliament should have the ears to hear my voice. The
entire country should understand it. The then Union Government had promised on
the400 floor of this House
that the State of Andhra Pradesh will be given the special category status. I
would like to read out the benefits that are given under a special
category status. The State will get preferential treatment in Central
assistance; concession on Excise Duty to attract industries; additional
budgetary support from the Government of India; tax concession to attract
industries; and in Centrally-sponsored schemes, 90 per cent of the money
will be shared by the Government of India480 #
and 10 per cent can be availed through loans. All the above assurances were
approved by the Union Cabinet in500
March, 2014. We have been facing the burdens and other troubles for
the last nine years along with Telangana agitation for four years. So, we
are really dying for development. Secondly, Sir, I would like to convey the
sense of Article 4 to this House. It mentions about the provisions of a
bifurcated State. The supplemental, incidental, and consequential
measures have to be taken care of by the Government and the Parliament.
Where are all these provisions? I am asking this question.
Sir,
I would like to come to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014. 600 #
The less I speak on this, the more the Ruling Party will be in the comfort
zone. I am not here to enjoy the luxury; I am not here to enjoy the comfort; I
am here to sweat it out and protect the rights of my State. We are here
to make legislation. I request the Government to honour the provisions of the
Act and implement them. This is after all a number game. We are just 25 in
number. That does not mean our voice is low. Our voice is loud and clear. But
the Government should honour700
the Act which was passed in this very House. I would like to mention a
few other points which are720 #
included in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. The new South Coast
Railway Zone has to be given to the State of Andhra Pradesh, which is also
included in the Act itself. Nine years have passed but nothing has been
done. Regarding the Polavaram project, the revised estimate is around Rs. 55,000
crore. But that was estimated in the year 2019. Now we are in 2023
and the estimates have grown. This is all800
public money. We are not giving from our pockets. But the escalation
will grow on and on, and we are wasting public money because the project
has to be completed on time. I am clearly stating that the last Government840 # had given the contract of
Polavaram project. What have they done for the Polavaram project? Nine years
have passed. The project has been stalled since last year. Some technicality
issue is coming into the picture but nothing is happening. I request the hon. Minister
to kindly take cognizance of this particular issue.
Hon.
Chairman Sir, I request the hon. Minister900 and
the Government to sanction the Metro Rail Projects to Andhra Pradesh. Coming to
the greenfield crude oil refinery and petrochemical complex, this was
also mandated to be established in Andhra Pradesh. As we know, the
KG basin is located in the area of East and West Godavari and Krishna District.
You are taking out the oil and diverting it960
# to Gujarat or to other places. Why can we not have the
petrochemical complexes in the State of Andhra Pradesh? Do you know how much
cost effectiveness will be happening to the country due to this? But the
Government of1000 India is
asking for the viability gap funding for erecting the petrochemical complexes,
which was not mandated in the Act. I would like to reiterate this point in
this House. Why are the petrochemical factories or complexes not there at
Dahej in Gujarat, and Paradip in Odisha? Did you ask for this viability gap
fund in those particular areas? Therefore, I request the hon. Finance Minister
to allocate funds for these petrochemical complexes. Coming to the national
picture as a1080 # whole,
I appreciate the hon. Finance Minister for delivering an expansive Budget
amidst the global economic turmoil. It is good1100 that she has opened the strings and
pleased the taxpayers, especially in view of the upcoming elections in
nine States. However, financing the fiscal deficit is challenging. Look at the
receipts and the expenditure. How would the Government of India manage to get
Rs.17 lakh crore? It is going to be an uphill task. The House would be
very happy if the Finance Minister explains and elaborates the roadmap where
these golden eggs are going to come from, and how these golden eggs would hatch
to become the golden goose.1190
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