APLA’s Estimates’ Committee Reviews Nellore Budget Allocations

Nellore: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly (APLA) Estimates’ committee chairman V. Jogeswara Rao on Tuesday emphasised that the panel’s primary objective is to ensure that every rupee allocated for welfare and development reaches the people.

Jogeswara Rao addressed a meeting under the chairmanship of district collector Himanshu Shukla at the Tikkana Pranganam in Nellore Collectorate on Tuesday. Officials from various departments presented detailed reports on budget allocations and expenditures for the financial years 2019–20, 2020–21, and 2021–22 related to welfare and development in the district.

Addressing the meeting, collector Shukla said the committee is conducting a comprehensive review of the released funds, assessing the effectiveness of spending and identifying the schemes with high public demand. Feedback from the district, he said, would be submitted to the assembly to potentially secure increased allocations.

The Estimates’ committee chairman underlined that the funds must be spent where they are most needed to deliver tangible benefits to the poor. Members of the committee wanted focus on accountability and impact.

Gopalapuram MLA Maddipati Venkataraju said officials should evaluate whether benefits truly reach the people. Gudur MLA Pasam Sunil Kumar called for responsible spending and special attention to hospitals and schools. MLC Balli Kalyan Chakravarthy sought funding for the Alturupadu Reservoir and wanted dilapidated schools demolished. Udayagiri MLA Kakarla Suresh pointed to the long neglect of the Gandipalem irrigation project.

Officials present at the meeting included DRO Vijay Kumar, DRDA and DWAMA project directors Nagaraja Kumari and Gangabhavani, Irrigation SE Desh Nayak, and District Agriculture Officer Satyavani.