Union Budget Focuses On Growth, Long-term Aspirations: Andhra IT Minister
The Minister said that the budget offers significant opportunities for Andhra Pradesh through initiatives such as the critical minerals corridor, high-speed rail connectivity, tax incentives for data centres, a stronger push for electronics manufacturing, and renewed focus on tourism
Vijayawada: Education minister N. Lokesh on Sunday welcomed the Union Budget 2026–27, describing it as a well-balanced roadmap aligned with India’s rapid economic growth and long-term national aspirations.
Lokesh said the budget reflects the Union government’s clarity of vision and strong commitment to sustaining high growth while ensuring macroeconomic stability. At a time of global economic uncertainty, he observed, the budget sends a reassuring message of continuity, confidence and reform-led governance.
The minister said the emphasis on next-generation sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies is particularly significant.
“The Budget’s focus on manufacturing, innovation and technology-driven growth would strengthen our economic resilience and generate large-scale employment opportunities, especially for the youth,” he said.
Welcoming the enhanced support for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, Lokesh noted that initiatives such as the expansion of electronics components manufacturing and the strengthening of domestic supply chains would help the nation move up the global value ladder.
He said Andhra Pradesh, with its investor-friendly policies, skilled manpower and improving infrastructure, is well positioned to attract investments in these sunrise sectors.
Lokesh also appreciated the strong thrust on MSMEs, calling them the backbone of the national economy. Measures aimed at improving access to credit, easing compliance and encouraging technology adoption, he said, would enable small and medium enterprises to scale up operations and contribute to employment generation and regional development.
The minister highlighted the importance given to education, skilling and the education-to-employment continuum in the budget.
Initiatives to strengthen higher education, promote STEM learning and align academic ecosystems with industry requirements would equip students with future-ready skills and enhance India’s human capital, he said.
Referring to the push for digital and green growth, Lokesh said investments in cloud infrastructure, data centres and clean technologies would accelerate our transition to a sustainable and digitally empowered economy. Andhra Pradesh, he said, stands to benefit significantly from these initiatives, particularly in terms of job creation and technology-led development.
Lokesh said the Union Budget 2026 strikes the right balance between growth ambitions and fiscal prudence. He expressed confidence that the announced measures would play a crucial role in realising the vision of a developed India, while opening new avenues for states like Andhra Pradesh to accelerate their growth trajectory.
