A.P. government revived 74 Centrally Sponsored Schemes by paying its share of nearly ₹12,337 crore, says Finance Minister Keshav 

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Finance Payyavula Keshav. File
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO

Minister for Finance Payyavula Keshav stated in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the State government has revived 74 out of the 94 Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) after the NDA coalition came to power in June 2024.

The total number of CSS in the country stood at 194, of which the Andhra Pradesh (AP) government was utilizing only 94 on a priority basis. 

He said due to the large-scale diversion of funds provided by the Centre for the CSS in 2019-24, which resulted in the non-payment of the State’s share of the schemes, penalties amounting to about ₹350 crore were imposed. The present State government was negotiating for a waiver of the penalties.

Further, Mr. Keshav said the State government has released a sum of ₹12,337 crore towards its share of the revived CSS as on March 3, 2025. The gross negligence of the YSR Congress Party government in utilizing the CSS caused tremendous loss in the form of deprivation of tax devolution to the State and in multiple other ways.

The overall impact on the economy was severe as the State was already grappling with the fallout of the bifurcation of the State of A.P.

The present government was working out ways to come out of the crisis, for which it sought Central support, Mr. Keshav added.