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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri N Chandrababu Naidu urged Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman to sanction an additional INR 10,000 crore for the state in the upcoming fiscal year, specifically under the Special Assistance to States on Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. Highlighting persistent financial constraints due to state bifurcation, Naidu also sought funds for the ambitious Amaravati capital project. Separately, the Chief Minister participated in a crucial meeting yesterday with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and his Telangana counterpart, addressing long-standing inter-state water management issues, signaling a multi-faceted push for state development and resource resolution.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri N Chandrababu Naidu today met with Union Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman in the national capital, submitting a memorandum to request substantial financial assistance for various state projects. During his visit, the Chief Minister specifically urged for an additional INR 10,000 crore for Andhra Pradesh in the 2025-26 financial year under the Special Assistance to States on Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. Advertisement
The SASCI scheme, initially launched a few years ago to boost capital spending by states, typically provides 50-year interest-free loans for capital investment, linking funds to various reforms. Naidu's request for INR 10,000 crore represents a significant ask, considering previous allocations under certain parts of the scheme.
Chief Minister Naidu highlighted that Andhra Pradesh continues to grapple with financial constraints, a direct consequence of its bifurcation a decade ago. He appealed to the 16th Finance Commission to approve the state government's plea to bridge its persistent revenue deficit, an issue that has weighed on the state's finances since the division.
Regarding the state's ambitious capital city project, Amaravati, the Chief Minister informed Ms. Sitharaman that its construction requires an estimated total of INR 79,280 crore. While works worth INR 44,351 crore are currently underway, INR 26,000 crore remains unallocated. He stressed the urgent need for additional funds to complete the capital's development and specifically requested that the second tranche of aid for Amaravati be disbursed as a grant rather than a loan. The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the central government for its existing support towards major infrastructure initiatives like the Amaravati and Polavaram projects, which have seen renewed funding and focus in recent months.
Separately, during his visit to Delhi yesterday, Chief Minister Naidu participated in a critical meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil alongside Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. This discussion focused on addressing key inter-state issues concerning water management between the two states, a topic that has historically been a source of contention since the bifurcation.
During their interaction, the Telangana Chief Minister proposed implementing telemetry across all water projects and reservoirs to accurately measure actual water usage, a suggestion that Andhra Pradesh accepted. Both states agreed on the allocation of river management boards- the Godavari River Management Board will be based in Hyderabad, while the Krishna River Management Board will be located in Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh also acceded to Telangana's proposal for immediate repairs to the prestigious Srisailam project. An Officers' and Technical Experts' committee is set to be established to resolve all pending water-related issues between the two states, including long-standing disputes over water projects in Telangana for both the Krishna and Godavari river basins.
Source- ANI
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