Former minister Kurasala Kannababu criticised Andhra Pradesh's PPP-2026 policy, alleging that public assets and essential services could be handed to private firms while citizens bear costs through user charges.
Kakinada: Former Andhra Pradesh minister Kurasala Kannababu has criticised the State government's proposed PPP-2026 policy, alleging that it could result in public assets and essential services being transferred to private companies while citizens are made to pay through user charges.
Addressing the media in Kakinada on Tuesday, Kannababu said projects worth around Rs. 1.23 lakh crore had been proposed under the Public-Private Partnership infrastructure pipeline. He also claimed that around Rs. 1,500 crore had been earmarked for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) during 2026-27.
Kannababu questioned the rationale behind providing land, financial assistance, loans and concessions to private companies and subsequently allowing them to collect charges from the public for using the resulting infrastructure.
He argued that the government should explain how the public interest would be protected under the proposed PPP framework.
According to Kannababu, sectors and infrastructure proposed to come under the PPP model include roads, ports, education, healthcare, drinking water, irrigation, sanitation, housing, markets, bus terminals and parks.
He alleged that bringing essential public services under private management could place an additional financial burden on poor and middle-class families.
The former minister demanded that the government publish comprehensive details of every project proposed under the PPP model.
He sought disclosure of:
Kannababu said making these details publicly available would enable citizens to assess the financial implications and long-term impact of the projects.
The former minister demanded that the government either withdraw the PPP-2026 policy or conduct a comprehensive public debate on its provisions.
He warned that YSRCP would oppose any attempt to transfer public assets or essential services to private interests without adequate safeguards and transparency.
Kannababu maintained that infrastructure development should not result in essential services becoming unaffordable for ordinary citizens and called for greater public scrutiny before major PPP agreements are finalised.
The concerns and allegations regarding PPP-2026 in this report are those raised by former minister Kurasala Kannababu. The government's position and detailed terms of individual PPP proposals were not included in the statement provided.
