Allocation of Rs 9,407 cr for ‘Talliki Vandanam’ hailed

Ongole: The presentation of the State Budget for 2025-26 in the Legislative Assembly on Friday sparked mixed responses from the leaders of various political parties. Most of them felt disappointed with the allocation of funds for the projects in Prakasam district and demanded more funds for the district’s development.

TDP State vice-president and Ongole MLA Damacharla Janardhana Rao called the allocation of Rs 9,407 crore for the ‘Talliki Vandanam’ scheme, which provides financial support for students’ education, ‘an auspicious development.’ He observed that the coalition government has demonstrated its development agenda through allocations to school education, higher education, medical and health, Panchayat Raj, Municipal Administration, water resources, and housing departments, and considering the welfare of SC, ST, BC, Muslim minorities, women and children, differently-abled and elderly populations.

Dr Nukasani Balaji, Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and TDP Prakasam district president, has expressed satisfaction with the State government’s Budget presented in the Assembly. He thanked the government for the allocation of Rs 469 crore to the Youth Affairs, Tourism and Cultural Department.

TDP’s Minority Cell State organising secretary Pathan Hanif Khan has expressed gratitude to the government for allocating Rs 5,434 crore for Minority Welfare in the first full Budget of the coalition government. He stated that the TDP has always prioritised social security for Muslims and addressing their community issues.

Meanwhile, Prakasam District Congress president and APCC spokesperson Shaik Saida called the coalition government’s Budget as deceptive and bankrupt. He denounced the Budget as being against the interests of the poor, farmers, women and the unemployed. This is not a Welfare Budget but a Crisis Budget, he said.

The numbers are impressive, but the allocations are zero, it’s all numerical trickery and fictional claims, he stated. He accused the government of completely ignoring its electoral promises, particularly the ‘Super Six’ schemes, and observed that the backward district of Prakasam had been unfairly treated in budget allocations.

CPI district secretary M L Narayana has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Budget, particularly regarding allocations for the Prakasam district. He called the allotment of Rs 309 crore to the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda Project, as a betrayal to the people of Prakasam district. He expressed scepticism over the promise of the government to develop four industrial zones including Donakonda, as it failed to announce significant concessions to the industrial sector.

CPM Prakasam district secretary Sk Mabu criticised the State government for neglecting the development of the backward Prakasam district by failing to allocate adequate funds in the State budget. He said that the CPM district committee was demanding an immediate review and amendment to the Budget, calling for an allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for the Veligonda Project, and allocation of necessary funds to complete works on other district projects including Gundlakamma, Sangameswanam and Paletipalli.