CM Naidu Seeks Rs 1 Trillion for AP, Rejects Bargaining for Ministerial Posts with BJP

In a meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu requested significant financial support from the Centre to address the state's debt crisis and support key projects. Naidu's demands included funds for reconstructing Amaravati, the Polavaram Irrigation Project, and increased borrowing allowances for the financial year.

According to a Bloomberg report, Naidu sought financial support exceeding Rs 1 trillion, with a substantial portion to be allocated from this year’s national budget. The package includes raising the fiscal deficit ceiling to 3.5 percent of the state's gross domestic product, allowing an additional 0.5 percent borrowing, equivalent to about Rs 7,000 crore. The Andhra government also requested Rs 50,000 crore for Amaravati's development, Rs 12,000 crore for the Polavaram project this fiscal year, Rs 15,000 crore over five years to clear overdue debt, and Rs 10,000 crore for infrastructure development under the federal government’s 50-year loan scheme.

Finance Minister Sitharaman assured Naidu that she would consider Andhra’s demands within the broader fiscal constraints. Naidu expressed his willingness to lead any coordination committee the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) might establish, emphasizing his party's commitment to the state's development rather than seeking ministerial posts.

Naidu highlighted his party's focus on rebuilding Andhra Pradesh over the next five years, stressing the state's urgent need for development. He assured global investors of a stable political climate, referencing the opposition YSR Congress Party as a concern. Naidu emphasized the completion of key government buildings in Amaravati and expressed satisfaction with the Centre's commitment to constructing 135 government buildings as part of the bifurcation act.

The Chief Minister also announced his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos to attract investors, demonstrating his dedication to Andhra Pradesh's economic revival on the global stage.