Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is on a purposeful three-day visit to Delhi and is meeting with senior central government officials to discuss developmental schemes of significance and the state’s immediate fiscal challenges. A feature of his visit was an expansive meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Naidu began by expressing gratitude to Amit Shah for the Centre’s decision to appoint senior TDP leader Ashok Gajapathi Raju as the Goa Governor, valuing the Centre’s gesture of acknowledging Andhra Pradesh’s top political leaders.
Taking a step forward towards development, the Chief Minister declared the Banakacharla irrigation project as a hallmark scheme of the NDA government in Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of the project in alleviating the chronic drought that plagues the Rayalaseema region. Notably, Naidu promised that the project is designed in such a way that it will not harm the nearby state of Telangana, reflecting the good inter-regional relationship that Andhra Pradesh has.
Regarding water resources, Naidu read statistics that even when the upper states use their share of Godavari river water fully, surplus water keeps flowing for around 90 to 120 days per year. As Andhra Pradesh is the terminal downstream state on the Godavari, he stressed the state’s rightful claim to use this excess water in meeting its development needs.
The discussion then turned to Andhra Pradesh’s fiscal condition. Naidu openly admitted that the economy of the state has been under extreme pressure during the last five years. Even after repeated attempts at stabilizing and reviving it, a number of fiscal challenges remain. He briefed on how Andhra Pradesh is now suffering from an extreme economic crisis due to heavy burdens in the form of government employee payrolls, welfare programs, and ambitious road and infrastructure schemes.
Seeking more support, Naidu asked the central government to provide more financial aid, especially considering the economic losses Andhra Pradesh has suffered in the wake of the bifurcation of the state. The 16th Finance Commission was asked by him to consider these losses while making allocations in resources and to grant significant funding that can enable the state to recover economically and speed up development.
As the three-day tour of Delhi continues, political and economic circles are eagerly observing how the Centre reacts to Naidu’s overtures — a reaction that could have a huge bearing on Andhra Pradesh’s growth possibilities and fiscal well-being in coming years.
