Budget today, eyes on Navaratnalu

VIJAYAWADA: All eyes are on the Budget that the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRC government will be presenting in the state Assembly on Friday. The Budget is expected to be presented with an outlay of over Rs 2 lakh-crore.

Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has already reviewed the Budget preparations with finance minister Buggana Rajendranath and other senior officials of the finance department over the last 15 days. It would be interesting to see the allocations made by Mr Rajendranath to various sectors. It is expected that the YSRC government’s flagship schemes Navaratnalu will get the lion’s share in the budget.

This will be the YSRC government’s first-ever Budget after winning a massive mandate.

As the state reels under the massive debt burden of Rs 2.98 lakh-crore and and huge revenue deficit, it would be interesting to see how the YSRC government will find ways to tide over the financial crisis and increase its revenues in the face of huge expectations from the public.

The state Cabinet had earlier approved 60 per cent of promises made under Navaratnalu.