First Agriculture Budget put up in AP

The first ever Agriculture Budget in the history of Andhra Pradesh was put up by Agriculture Minister Pathipati Pulla Rao in legislative Assembly and Irrigation Minister Devineni Uma puts up the same in the Council. Total Agriculture Budget is valued at 13108 Crores in which planned expenditure is 6735 Crore while unplanned expenditure is 6373.5 Crore.

Allocations to Free power to farmers (3188 Crore), Loan Waiver (5000 Crore), Employment guarantee scheme (1386 Crore) have got major allocations in the budget. Government also allotted 50 Crore for the studies and schemes to improve productivity. Government also announced that it will join hands with ICRISAT to soil test all the farming lands in the current and suggest ways of increasing the yield. In the eve of existing Agriculture University going to Telangana after the state division, AP government allotted 192 Crores to the development of new University.

Agriculture Minister Pulla Rao told the Assembly that despite being in a severe financial crunch, Andhra Pradesh is committed to do the loan waiver to the farmers. 5000 Crore was allocated for this in the budget and Government is looking at various ways to accommodate funds for the remaining.