Amaravati, February 20, 2026: Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav defended the state's latest budget as a pivotal shift toward comprehensive growth.
Speaking in the Assembly during discussions on the 2026-27 budget, he described it as the third under the TDP-led coalition, moving beyond initial cleanup of inherited fiscal issues and economic stabilisation to drive all-round progress.
The minister highlighted revival measures, including reactivation of 85 stalled central schemes with ₹18,700 crore support and loan renegotiations saving ₹2,000 crore yearly.
He stressed welfare through pensions for 63 lakh beneficiaries, timely salaries and pensions, and focus on key regions like Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, and Tirupati economic zones. Irrigation projects, including Amaravati and Polavaram, gained priority alongside industrial momentum.
