Gidugu seeks to know if Rs 15,000 cr allocated to AP is grant or loan

Gidugu Rudra Raju, a Special Invitee to the Congress Party Working Committee (CWC) and former president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has questioned whether the Rs 15,000 crore allocated for Amaravati in the Union Budget is a grant or a loan.
In a statement following the presentation of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Rudra Raju criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act – 2014 only after a decade of delay. He likened Modi’s delayed action to the awakening of Kumbhakarna, suggesting it was a belated response to the demands of key allies rather than a genuine effort to implement the Act.
Rudra Raju also criticised Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for his inability to leverage the support of his 16 MPs to secure justice for Andhra Pradesh, including the pursuit of Special Category Status. He highlighted that the Budget speech failed to address the Special Category Status issue, despite Naidu’s exit from the NDA in 2018 over this very matter. He noted that, six years later, with the Modi Government now relying on TDP support, the only concession has been an assurance of Special Financial Support from multilateral agencies.
Rudra Raju expressed concerns about the Rs. 15,000 crore earmarked for Amaravati, questioning whether it is a grant or a loan. He warned that if it is a loan, it could exacerbate the state’s economic difficulties. Additionally, he pointed out the mention of the Chennai-Vishakhapatnam Industrial Corridor but lamented the lack of a detailed roadmap or blueprint for the project.