The Budget sessions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State legislative assemblies will commence on Saturday (March 7) with the customary address by the Governor, ESL Narasimhan.
Since both the sessions would be held in the same premises but different buildings, Andhra Pradesh session is set to begin at 9 am with the address of the Governor.
Thereafter, the Governor would address both the Houses of the new state of Telangana at 11 am.
Both the States would be presenting their first full budgets. While the budget for 2014-15 was an interim measure, where both the States had little flexibility in the way they could outline their plans, the budget for 2015-16 would provide them the opportunity to not only outline their plans for this financial year but also provide broad contours of their overall plan and strategy over the next four years.
With the Fourteenth Finance Commission recommendations providing more funds into the States hands, with devolution amount going up from 32 per cent to 42 per cent, they would have greater flexibility in terms of handling various schemes. Some of the Central schemes would also be transferred for management by the States.
However, Andhra Pradesh seems to be very disappointed by no clear provision for special status and allocation for some of the pet projects such as Polavaram irrigation project and development of capital.
Given this backdrop of tough financial position, the budget process would be a tight rope walk for the Andhra Pradesh Government in particular whose deficit had crossed the Rs 20,000 mark so far this year.
There are indications that the Telangana Budget may be presented on March 11 and that of Andhra Pradesh on March 12. However, the business advisory committee would finalise the dates.