The presentation of separate agriculture budget by the Andhra Pradesh government for 2014-15 without the mandatory approval of the estimates committee or without amending the rules was questioned in the Legislative Council here on Friday.
Even as Major Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao rose to make the budget presentation in the Council, Leader of Opposition C. Ramachandraiah recalled that last year the Congress government presented it only as a policy statement as the rules concerned were not amended.
While they welcomed the special focus being given to agriculture, they could not approve of violation of procedures, he said. “This will set a bad precedent and lead to legislative anarchy,” he said.
Of the Rs.13,110-crore budget for agriculture and allied sectors, he said Rs .6,736 crore was for plan budget, including Rs.5,000 crore for loan waiver. Thus it hardly provided funds for development of agriculture and allied activities.
Later after presentation of the budget, Mr. Ramachandraiah said no clarity was given on loan waiver of over Rs. 50,000 crore while farmers were anxiously waiting for its implementation. If the government did not act fast, another wave of farmers’ suicides would follow, he cautioned.
Earlier on the unilateral action of the Telangana government on Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University, Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy said that institutions like ANGRAU and ICRISAT would extend services to boost agricultural activities in both the States.
Mr. Ramachandraiah agreed to the proposal that the House should pass a resolution against tampering with the structure of the institutions that were meant for both the States.
