A question is echoing across Andhra Pradesh; Is this turning into a private government?
Citizens pay taxes with the expectation that the government will deliver essential services in education, healthcare, agriculture and public transport.
At the same time, private investment is vital in manufacturing, IT and tourism, where innovation and capital can create jobs and generate economic growth.
The government deserves credit for attracting major private investments in industries, IT and tourism, which can bring employment and global recognition to the state.
However, concerns are rising as privatization spreads into sensitive areas.
Private liquor shops may be acceptable, but when ports, roads, insurance and medical colleges increasingly slip into private hands, questions of accessibility, affordability and accountability emerge.
If every crucial service is left to private players, what will be the government’s core responsibility?
More importantly, where will the tax revenues collected through direct taxes, GST, and other means be meaningfully spent? Distributing to welfare schemes? Even that is not happening in the present government to the degree of what it was before.
A balance is essential. Private participation should supplement governance, not replace it.
The government must reassess its role, ensuring that public welfare remains at the heart of policy and that taxpayers’ money translates into real, equitable services for the people.
