AP Governor's Budget address marred by noisy scenes

The Andhra Pradesh Governor, Mr E.S.L. Narasimhan, today faced hostile moments in the Legislative Assembly with a section of members pressing their demand for separate Telangana statehood, forcing him to cut short his maiden Budget session address.

Right from the time he entered the Assembly, he faced vociferous members of the House, who rushed to the well, raised slogans, disrupted his speech, shredding copies of budget speech, something described as unprecedented in the House.

There was a semblance of peace only when the national anthem was rendered. Members of the TRS rushed to the well of the House and did not allow him to deliver his address. They raised slogans demanding him to go back.

In fact, a shocked Governor cut short his speech bypassing several pages, reading out only the conclusive part of the address in Telugu. The House was thrown out of gear with both TRS members and a section of TDP members supporting Telangana cause disrupting his address time and again. In fact, the chair where he was to sit on was also removed by some members, to be restored later by security men.

The trouble started when members saw there was no mention of the vexatious Telangana Statehood issue in his address to joint sitting of AP Legislative Assembly and the Council.

In his speech, he mentioned that in spite of the natural calamities ravaging agricultural operations, the foodgrain output is expected to touch 190 lakh tonnes during the current year up from last year's 156 lakh tonnes. He said this is a tribute to the resilience of the farming community and their indomitable spirit.

The Government has sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore for rescue, relief and rehabilitation.

The Governor mentioned that the State could register an annual growth rate of 8.7 per cent during 2005-06 to 2009-10.

Agriculture, industry and services played a major role in this growth.

The development initiatives have helped the gross state domestic product (GSDP) grow at the rate of 8.89 per cent during 2010-11 as per advanced estimates available which is higher than the all-India growth rate of 8.6 per cent.

The per capita income in the State at current prices has grown from Rs 28,539 in 2005-06 to Rs 60,224 in 2010-11, reflecting a positive trend.

The revenues of the State which grew robustly at 21 per cent compounded per annum during 2004-09, have maintained momentum by registering a healthy growth rate of 24 per cent during 2009-10.

The Governor said that 74 special economic zones (SEZs) have been notified with a proposed investment of over Rs 1 lakh crore, with an employment potential of 90,000 people.

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