The non-allocation of funds for the new railway zone, no mention of Special Category Status (SCS) to the State and non-allocation of funds to backward districts in the State, has drawn flak from leaders of various political parties.
Visakhapatnam MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana has said that the YSR Congress Party MPs from north Andhra would raise their voice in Parliament on the ‘injustice done to the region’ due to the non-allocation of funds for establishment of the new railway zone.
He said that the party MPs had raised the issue of funds for the new zone and met Union Minister and Railway Board Chairman several times but no mention was made on funds for it in the budget. The only solace was the announcement of making Visakhapatnam as a ‘fishing hub’.
CPI(M) District Committee secretary K. Lokanadham has expressed resentment at the injustice done to the State in the budget. He alleged that the Centre was trying to hand over the railways, airports and defence sector to the private sector. There was no mention on allocation for the newly announced S Co R zone.
CPI State Assistant Secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy alleged that the budget laying the red carpet for corporates while taxing the common man. The proposed additional cess on petrol and diesel would have a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities, he said. The gap between the haves and have- nots was increasing and no attempts have been made in the budget to reduce it, he alleged.
CITU State president Ch. Narasinga Rao has decried the non-allocation of funds for Visakhapatnam Railway Zone (S Co R) and funds for backward regions in the State. He described the budget as ‘corporate-friendly’ and ‘anti-poor’.
BJP Parliamentary district president Raveendra Medapati hailed the allocation of ₹2.34 lakh crore for health sector and ₹35,000 crore for COVID-19 vaccination in the Union Budget.
A 464-km long expressway would be constructed from Visakhapatnam to Chhattisgarh via Odisha. He also hailed the proposal to develop 1,500 schools under the New Education Policy (NEP) apart from 750 schools for OBCs in India and residential model schools in tribal areas
