Andhra Pradesh’s growth rate at 11.3%, ahead of Telangana’s, says Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) presented a detailed account of the State’s financial position and the performance of
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) presented a detailed account of the State’s financial position and the performance of the NDA government during its first two years in office, saying the administration had restored investor confidence and placed the economy back on a growth path. Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat, Mr. Naidu alleged that the period between 2019 and 2024 had been marked by economic decline, administrative deterioration and a loss of investor confidence. He said Andhra Pradesh had faced enormous challenges following the bifurcation of the erstwhile State in 2014, including the loss of Hyderabad as its capital, an imbalance in the distribution of resources and inadequate industrial infrastructure. CM N. Chandrababu Naidu says the government spent ₹1,49,401 crore on welfare over the past two years and gave 30,607 government jobs, releasing a White Paper on the Finance Department in Vijayawada on Tuesday. Video: Special Arrangement pic.twitter.com/3Uoq4agJ3H — The Hindu - Andhra Pradesh (@THAndhra) August 4, 2026 According to the Chief Minister, the government released seven white papers soon after assuming office and subsequently published progress reports on sectors such as energy, Amaravati and water resources.
Naidu said Andhra Pradesh had recorded a gross State domestic product (GSDP) growth rate of 11.3% during the 2024-26 period, compared with 10.7% in Telangana. He said the State’s growth rate had stood at 13.5% between 2014 and 2019 before declining to 10.3% between 2019 and 2024. He said that, had the earlier growth trajectory continued, Andhra Pradesh would have generated an additional ₹6.94 lakh crore in GSDP and ₹76,195 crore in revenue. He added that the gap in per capita income between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had widened from ₹55,817 in 2018-19 to ₹1,06,854 in 2023-24. Andhra Pradesh’s per capita income stood at ₹2,94,507 in 2025-26, he said. CM N. Chandrababu Naidu compares the previous government's handling of AP's finances to wild boars in a field, at the release of a White Paper on Tuesday. He said the public debt-to-GSDP ratio had risen from 28.37% in 2014-19 to 33.83% in 2019-24, and stood at 36.2% now. pic.twitter.com/Jf46voAbfI — The Hindu - Andhra Pradesh (@THAndhra) August 4, 2026 The Chief Minister attributed the improvement in economic indicators to increased public investment, infrastructure development and investor-friendly policies.
He said the government had resumed the reconstruction of Amaravati, speeded up work on the Polavaram irrigation project and investments in sectors such as information technology, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, steel and irrigation infrastructure. Describing the Bhogapuram International Airport as a major catalyst for regional growth, Mr. Naidu said the project would strengthen connectivity and attract investments in ports, industries and data centres in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Referring to achievements during his earlier tenure between 2014 and 2019, he cited the construction of the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme, progress in the Polavaram project, the expansion of airports and ports and the development of industrial corridors linking Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Bengaluru. He also referred to investments made by companies including Kia Corporation, Isuzu Motors, Asian Paints and Foxconn. Naidu alleged that the previous government had halted work on Amaravati, weakened the power sector by cancelling power purchase agreements and increased the State’s debt burden. According to him, the decisions had imposed an additional burden of ₹32,000 crore on the exchequer. The Chief Minister said the government had substantially increased capital expenditure, allocating ₹10,000 crore for Amaravati, ₹8,300 crore for the Polavaram project, ₹5,437 crore for ports, ₹1,142 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission, ₹2,302 crore for airports and ₹3,439 crore for road infrastructure projects.
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