The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII-Andhra Pradesh) praised the budget presented by Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav in the Assembly on Saturday (February 14), saying it took a balanced approach to meeting welfare commitments and long-term development priorities.
CII-AP Chairman Murali Krishna Gannamani said in a press release that the budget has created a positive ecosystem for the industry through infrastructure development and by strengthening logistics and regional economic cluster planning.
He expressed confidence that the allocation of ₹28,000 crore for the Visakhapatnam Economic Region will transform North Andhra into a major growth hub for industry, IT, shipping and services.
Deputy Speaker S. Narendra Kumar said the budget tried to strike a balance between Amaravati’s development and large-scale social spending, positioning both as parallel drivers of the state’s growth. Capital spending was used as an investment multiplier to attract private investment, grow the service sector and create jobs, he noted.
CII-Vijayawada Chairman V. Nagalakshmi welcomed the allocation of ₹ 19,306 crore for the health sector and noted that health care should be a major component of the state’s social and human development strategy.
Former CII-AP chairman D. Ramakrishna said school education, which receives a large chunk of the budget (₹32,308 crore), reflects the government’s intention to strengthen human capital. Substantial allocations for scholarships and skill development were a step in the right direction, he said.
M. Lakshmi Prasad, former chairman of CII-AP, said the budget directly linked agricultural growth with rural prosperity and economic stability and providing ₹20,000 in annual assistance to 46.86 lakh farmers would enhance farm income security and thereby help reduce farmers’ distress.
Published – 14 Feb 2026 20:04 IST