Amaravati, April 16 (IANS) Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has appealed to the 16th Finance Commission to extend special financial assistance to Andhra Pradesh, emphasising that rebuilding the state is crucial not only for its future but also for the nation’s progress.
He urged the Commission to understand the state’s unique challenges and support its vision for a ‘Swarnandhra 2047’.
The Chief Minister personally welcomed the 16th Finance Commission delegation at the Secretariat and guided them through a photo exhibition showcasing the state’s progress and development plans, including Amaravati, Polavaram, and the Banakacharla linkage project.
The Commission was urged to increase the vertical devolution share from 41 per cent to 50 per cent. He also wanted the panel to address the decline in horizontal devolution to Southern states, from 24.3 per cent (10th Finance Commission) to 15.8 per cent (15th FC).
The panel was told that Andhra Pradesh’s share in horizontal devolution is below its share in national GDP and population, causing a fiscal disadvantage.
He told the panel that the development of the state capital Amaravati requires Rs 77,249 crore. While the state has so far secured Rs 31,000 crore through the World Bank, HUDCO, and KfW, it has required an additional Rs 47,000 crore.
The government’s vision for the capital city was presented through a detailed video presentation. Naidu emphasised that the absence of a capital city has severely hampered revenue generation.
The Commission was told that for rural local bodies, the state required Rs 69,897 crore grants. For urban local bodies, Rs 19,871 crore needed for water, sanitation, roads, transport and for disaster preparedness (2026–2031), the state needs Rs 16,181 crore.
Key proposals made for the Centre’s support include Polavaram–Banakacharla linkage, drinking water projects, five tourism hubs (Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, Araku, Tirupati, Rajahmundry), national museum in Amaravati, world-class convention centre in Visakhapatnam, Quantum Valley, skill development, Ratan Tata Innovation Hub, 100 per cent literacy, ports, fishing harbours, multimodal logistics parks, greenfield airports, inland waterways, roads and regional growth centers in Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati.
Naidu said the panel that of the 93 Central schemes stalled under the previous government, 72 have been restarted within the last 10 months of the current administration.
He also explained the severe economic setbacks caused by the previous administration’s mismanagement between 2019 and 2024, highlighting the loss in revenue, rising debt, and stalled projects.
Given the state’s unique post-bifurcation challenges, the CM requested the Finance Commission to recommend special allocations and financial support from the Centre.
Naidu called Finance Commission chairman Arvind Panagariya a visionary and recalled how he had recommended transferring the Polavaram Project to the state during his tenure in NITI Aayog.
Naidu said that as part of India’s vision to become a developed nation by 2047, Andhra Pradesh has framed its own “Swarnandhra 2047” vision.
The economic targets for 2047 include a 15 per cent annual growth rate, transforming Andhra Pradesh into a $2.4 trillion economy, reaching $42,000 per capita income, increasing exports to $450 billion, extending average life expectancy to 85 years, achieving 100 per cent literacy, and reducing unemployment to below 2 per cent.
To achieve these targets, Rs 40 lakh crore in investments are required by 2029. The state’s current GSDP is Rs 18.25 lakh crore, with a target of Rs 29.29 lakh crore by 2028-29.
–IANS
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