Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav has called on the Central Government to prioritize river-linking projects in Andhra Pradesh in the upcoming Union Budget 2025-26.

During a meeting in Rajasthan chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, as part of the Union Budget preparation process, Keshav highlighted that approximately 2,000 TMC of Godavari floodwater flows into the sea annually. In contrast, he pointed out that the Rayalaseema region suffers from low and erratic rainfall, making it prone to perennial drought.

Keshav explained that the Andhra Pradesh government has proposed linking the Krishna, Penna, and Vamsadhara rivers. This initiative aims to channel surplus water through a network of canals and reservoirs to the drought-affected and underdeveloped districts of Rayalaseema and South-Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Referring to the Central Government's recent support for linking 11 rivers in Rajasthan to create a water-surplus region, Keshav urged similar financial backing for Andhra Pradesh's river-linking projects in the Union Budget. He also suggested adopting a 90:10 funding model for all Centrally Sponsored Schemes in Purvodaya States and providing viability gap funding for various Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, including road infrastructure, airports, ports, and metro rail initiatives in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.

Additionally, he appealed for the approval of five Textile Clusters in Andhra Pradesh, emphasizing the significant population of weavers in the state.