Budget lays base for 7% growth for two decades: Ram Mohan

Rajamahendravaram: Civil aviation minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said that the Union Budget presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman provides a strong foundation to sustain a 7 per cent growth rate for the next 20 years, in line with the Viksit Bharat vision. He spoke at a media conference here on Saturday.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been implementing wide-ranging reforms beyond political considerations to realise a developed India. He praised that the budget reflects the aspirations of 140 crore people, especially the youth, with a clear focus on employment generation and inclusive growth.

Ram Mohan Naidu said Rs 10,134 crore has been allocated for railway projects in Andhra Pradesh, while Rs 1,120 crore has been earmarked for Amaravati. He added that the Centre is extending full financial support for the timely completion of the Polavaram project. Referring to the industrial sector, he recalled that the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant recorded profits of Rs 52 crore in January.

He said the budget gives priority to Digital India and youth participation, ensuring benefits reach every citizen. The minister said manufacturing will play a key role in the future, with a focus on rare earth corridors, semiconductors, electronics, bio-pharma, skilling and health services. He said Andhra Pradesh is making rapid progress in the IT sector with AI hubs, cloud services and data centres.

He said India is emerging as a global partner through free trade agreements with the UK, US, EFTA and EU. He stressed seven high-speed rail corridors, two passing through Andhra Pradesh, and rapid expansion of airports, aiming for 350 by 2047.

He expressed hope that the achievements of the coalition government would continue for the next two decades and urged people to extend their continued support. He remarked that it would not be right to nurture a plant and hand it over to a butcher when it starts bearing fruit, and said the coalition government, which has laid strong foundations for the state’s development, deserves the continued support and blessings of the people.