The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has dubbed the State budget as jugglery of figures.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, TDP official spokesperson Kodela Sivaprasada Rao said that the government claimed it presented a farmer-friendly budget. But, the fact is: the government earmarked mere Rs. 25,900 crore with so many riders-linking it with 14 departments. The farmers were facing untold miseries as there were no remunerative prices. The government hardly took any measures to ensure minimum support price (MSP). It has not learn lessons from the neighbouring states--Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat—which were implementing what they were promising to the people, more particularly farmers, he said.
Referring to power sector, Mr. Rao said that the government was more concerned about merchant power policy rather than people. The power generated in the State was being sold at higher rates to other states, while people here were facing hardship.
At another press conference, Mylavaram MLA and TDP district president Devineni Umamaheswara Rao said that the government was not committed to the Bandar Port. Last year, the allocations were Rs. 1 crore. Now, it was brought down to mere Rs. 72 lakh. It was enough to say that the government lacked sincerity. Super Specialty hospital and Gannavaram airport expansion remained on papers, he pointed out.
TDP state secretary Gottipati Ramakrishna, Telugu Rythu district president Chalasani Anjaneyulu and others were present.