CM Naidu hails Union Budget as forward-looking, balanced and a growth catalyst for Andhra Pradesh

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday termed the Union Budget a “forward-looking and balanced blueprint” that rightly aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s development priorities and expedites India’s journey towards becoming a developed economy by 2047.

Addressing a press conference at his residence here, the Chief Minister welcomed the Budget and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He observed that the Centre had presented a direction-setting document to combine fiscal prudence with growth-oriented reforms. “The Budget provides both direction and momentum for States to pursue structural transformation,” Naidu said.

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“The Budget enables Andhra Pradesh to move more aggressively on the sectors we have already prioritised,” the Chief Minister maintained. He said that it would significantly strengthen the “Ease of Doing Business” framework in the State. “With a sharp focus on MSMEs, the proposals open new opportunities to deepen industrial growth, job creation, and entrepreneurship,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Naidu said the Union Budget had unfolded a strong emphasis on women, farmers, and youth empowerment, and at the same time maintained a clear long-term vision for Viksit Bharat 2047. “The Budget will address short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives, and can bolster living standards and enhance ease of living,” he observed.

The Budget would accelerate the industrial push in Andhra Pradesh. “The sector will gain greatly from the proposed high-speed rail corridors — Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Hyderabad–Chennai, and Bengaluru–Chennai. These corridors will connect major growth centres such as Amaravati and Tirupati, while also covering Palamaner, Chittoor, and other regions. These projects will integrate Hyderabad, Amaravati, Bengaluru, and Chennai to create one of the most dynamic economic corridors in the world, and transform regional connectivity and economic activity, catering to a population of over five crore,” he said.

Hailing the inclusion of Andhra Pradesh in the Dedicated Rare Earth Corridor, Mr. Naidu called it a strategic move to harness critical minerals for high-value electronics manufacturing. “The ₹40,000 crore allocation under ISM 2.0 for the semiconductor sector will strengthen India’s position in global supply chains and create high-end employment,” Mr. Naidu observed.

“The Budget has bestowed a major boost on the textile sector, tourism, and hospitality industry in the State. The focus on tourism will give fresh momentum to destinations such as Araku Valley,” he added. The Chief Minister further welcomed the support measures for crops like coconut, cashew, cocoa, and sandalwood.

‘’The extension of tax incentives for data centres till 2047 is a key aspect of the Budget,’’ the Chief Minister said, adding that India is poised to emerge as a global data centre hub.

He referred to the proposed visit of Bill Gates to Amaravati this month, saying it’s a testimony to the vision of Andhra Pradesh for data revolution.

Focusing on the Artificial Intelligence avenues, the Chief Minister said that Visakhapatnam is attracting major investments, including from Google. “This development will phenomenally generate large-scale employment opportunities,” he added.