Hyderabad, February 23: Welfare and developmental programmes will be of top priority in the state budget for the year 2011-12 to be presented in the state Assembly. Finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy will present the budget at 11.43 a.m, while roads and buildings minister D Prasada Rao will present the same in the Legislative Council.
Official sources indicated that the proposed budget is likely to be around `1.25 lakh crore for the year 2011-12, with a marginal increase over of `1.13 lakh crore in 2009-10.
Apart from welfare and developmental activities, sources indicated that youth related programmes, education and health sectors will be priority subjects in the budget.
Thrust will be on strengthening the existing schemes for their effective implementation.
The Jalayagnam scheme remains to be the pet programme, but an increase in allotment against the previous allocation of `15,000 crore is unlikely. About `50,000- 55,000 crore are likely to be allocated for the Plan Expenditure and another `70,000- 75,000 crore for the non-plan Expenditure.
–Agencies