Amaravati, Mar 16 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath on Thursday presented the annual budget for the financial 2023-24 with an outlay of Rs 2,79,279 crore.

The outlay has gone up by about 9 per cent over the previous year. The budget size for 2022-23 was Rs 2,56,256 crore.

The revenue expenditure is Rs 2,28,540 crore while revenue expenditure is pegged at Rs 31,061 crore. The revenue deficit is Rs 22,316 crore while fiscal deficit is Rs 54,587 crore.

Welfare remained the focus of the budget, the last full-fledged budget before next year's Assembly elections.

Presenting the budget in the state Assembly, the finance minister allocated Rs 54,228 crore for welfare schemes through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The allocation for welfare has jumped by Rs 8,273 crore over the previous year.

Rajendranath allocated Rs 21,434 crore for social security pensions under DBT. The allocation for YSR Rythu Bharosa is Rs 4, 020 crore.

The finance minister allocated Rs 2,841.64 crore for total fees reimbursement, Rs 2,200 crore for Vasathi Deewena, Rs 6,500 crore for Amma Vodi scheme, Rs 3,000 crore for Price Stabilisation Fund, 3,500 crore for Nadu Nedu scheme and Rs 532 crore for Gadapa Gadapa Ku Mana Prabhutvam.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government set aside Rs 38,605 crore for backward classes and Rs 20,005 crore for Scheduled Castes. It made an allocation of Rs 4,887 crore for welfare of Kapus and Rs 4,203 crore for welfare of minorities.

The minister allocated Rs 11,589 crore for the agriculture sector. An allocation of Rs 11,908 crore has been made for the Water Resources Department, Rs 6,456 crore for the Energy department and Rs 5,600 crore for housing for the poor.