Hyderabad, February 20: Political trouble over Telengana and its impact on the financial situation notwithstanding, a tax-free budget was presented in Andhra Pradesh assembly for 2010-11, which cuts allocations for key government programmes, including the subsidy for power and irrigation.
The budget presented by Chief Minister K K Rosaiah, who also holds the portfolio of Finance, shows an outlay of 1.13.675 crore and a projected expenditure of Rs 1,13,660 crore.
Outlay for the ambitious Jalayagnam (irrigation projects) has been reduced from Rs 18,000 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 15,000 crore in 2010-11.
The subsidy for power has also been cut from Rs 6,040 crore to Rs 4,500 crore in the budget estimates. This implies that the Congress? crucial election promise of nine-hour free power supply to the agriculture sector will not be fulfilled even in the next financial year.
–Agencies