‘Will do whatever possible to revive sick units’
Omar speaks to Dhami, raises issue of assault
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 29: Ahead of presentation of annual budget by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds charge of the Finance Department, said his Government is expecting industrial package in the Union budget to boost industrial growth.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Sitharaman will present 2026-27 national budget in the Parliament on February 1 while Omar will present his second budget in the Legislature here on February 6.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Startup Mela in Samba, the Chief Minister said they are expecting good industrial package for Jammu and Kashmir in the Union budget as the UT hasn’t received any Central package providing incentives for industry since 1990.
Asserting that the J&K Government is working closely with the Centre for receiving industrial package to develop industrial sector, Omar said the package can also give boost to employment opportunities
“Unemployment can’t be solved through Government jobs alone. Therefore, it’s our compulsions and responsibility to create a Startup ecosystem. Unlike some other States, I cannot simply tell our people to leave Jammu and Kashmir for jobs elsewhere,” he said, referring to the recent incident of harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Omar said the Government will do whatever necessary to help revive sick industrial units which are in a position to resume operations. However, if they are not in such a position, we will take back the land provided to them so that it can be allotted to someone else, to set up the industry.
“The failure should be seen as a learning opportunity,’’ the Chief Minister said citing entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, who view setbacks as “successful failures.” He added that the entrepreneurship is not limited to manufacturing, as service and tech innovations, such as Zomato, Blinkit, and Uber, demonstrate the potential of creative business models.
“The role of identifying Startups and providing fearless funding cannot entirely be done by the Government. We need to empower our educational institutions and JKEDI so that they can effectively support entrepreneurship. For example, the seed capital provision of EDI should be expanded so it can function effectively. EDI was established precisely to foster an entrepreneurship culture,” he said.
The CM also said the Government is working to bring significant improvements over the next 2-3 years, adding that efforts to ensure the single-window clearance system functions are already underway. This would reduce red tape and save entrepreneurs’ valuable time, he added.
Replying to a question about the demand for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, Omar said the late NCP leader’s uncle, Sharad Pawar, had made it clear that it was an accident and “we should not play politics over it. I don’t think I need to say anything now.”
He said the incidents in Himachal and Uttarakhand have shown that our people are now looking more inward rather than going outside.
Omar also spoke to Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami, raising the issue of the alleged assault on a Kashmiri shawl seller and seeking action against those responsible.
“Chief Minister spoke with the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, regarding the assault on a young Kashmiri shawl seller in Uttarakhand and urged him to take strict action against the perpetrators. Dhami assured that strict action, including registration of an FIR, would be taken in the matter and safety of J&K residents will be ensured,” the Office of Chief Minister, J&K, said in a post on X.
Tweeting the post, Omar wrote, “This recent series of attacks including in Himachal Pradesh and now this one are unacceptable and must stop. It can’t be claimed that J&K is an inalienable part of India while people from Kashmir, in other parts of the country, live in fear for their lives. My Government will step in where ever necessary & will do whatever is needed to ensure these incidents are not repeated. I hope Home Ministry, Govt of India will also sensitise other States on the same lines.”
An 18-year-old Kashmiri youth suffered serious injuries after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of people while he was selling shawls in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun district on Wednesday.
Subsequently, Uttarakhand Police took prompt action in the matter. In an official update, the police informed that FIR No. 26/2026 has been registered at Police Station Vikasnagar against the accused Sanjay Yadav and one other person under Sections 117(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The update further stated: “The accused Sanjay Yadav has been taken into custody and necessary legal action is being initiated, and he will be sent to jail.”
Follow our WhatsApp channel
