Andhra Govt Inflating Growth Data to Hide Revenue Slump, Alleges Y. S. Jagan

YSR Congress Party chief Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a sharp attack on the Andhra Pradesh coalition government, accusing it of presenting misleading statistics to project “impressive” economic growth despite weak state revenue performance . He said the government is creating a false narrative of development while the ground reality reflects financial strain.

Taking to social media platform X, Jagan questioned how the state could claim high Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth when its tax revenues are barely increasing. He alleged that the figures being circulated were prepared within the Chief Minister’s Office and lack independent validation. According to him, such numbers are aimed at diverting public attention from economic slowdown and governance failures.

Jagan mocked the official projections that Andhra Pradesh would achieve around 10.75% nominal growth in 2025–26, higher than national averages. He noted that India’s nominal growth estimates hover below that mark, making the state’s claims appear exaggerated. Over two financial years, the government’s projected 11.09% average growth is, in his view, achievable only through “statistical manipulation.”

Citing data from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) , Jagan said the state’s own tax revenue growth during the first nine months of the current financial year stood at just 1.97% . He argued that this stark gap between claimed economic expansion and sluggish revenue collection exposes serious inconsistencies. “If the economy is truly growing at double digits, tax buoyancy should reflect that,” he said.

Experts note that a divergence between nominal GSDP and tax collections can sometimes arise due to inflation effects, capital-intensive sectors, or methodological differences between advance estimates and audited accounts. However, Jagan insisted that the scale of the gap in Andhra Pradesh raises legitimate doubts. He demanded transparency in how the state calculates its GSDP figures and called for independent scrutiny.

The YSRCP chief also highlighted comparative data, saying Andhra Pradesh ranks 22nd among 23 major states in tax revenue growth. While central tax revenues reportedly grew by over 9%, the state’s growth remained under 2%, he said. This, he argued, shows the government is relying more on borrowings than on strengthening revenue streams.

Targeting Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu , Jagan accused the administration of prioritizing publicity over fiscal discipline. He alleged that rising debt , widening fiscal deficits , and weak revenue mobilization contradict the government’s “high-growth” narrative.

Jagan concluded by urging the government to release detailed methodology behind its economic estimates and allow verification by independent financial bodies, saying transparency is essential to restore public trust.