Budget session beginning today to be stormy
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Feb 1: The budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, set to commence here on Monday, is expected to be stormy with political parties especially Congress, PDP and Independents preparing to question the Government over its poll promises, particularly the Statehood restoration.
According to official sources, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the budget on February 6. Abdullah had presented his maiden budget on March 7 last year.
The 22-day-long fifth session of the Assembly, spread over a three-month period with double sittings, will begin with an address by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha tomorrow.
Sources said all necessary preparations for the session have been completed, with focus on ensuring smooth conduct and effective utilisation of time.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
This will be the second budget of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference Government after it assumed office on October 16, 2024, ending nearly six years of Central rule.
As per the Assembly calendar issued by the Speaker, the budget session will conclude on April 4 and will be held in three phases — the first before the commencement of Ramzan and two others after Eid-ul-Fitr in March and April. Ramzan is expected to begin on February 18 or 19, subject to appearance of Moon.
Sources said the month of February, which will have 15 days of business, will witness the presentation of the budget for the financial year 2026-27 and the Supplementary Statement of Expenditure for 2025-26 by the Chief Minister on February 6.
Meanwhile, political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have stepped up preparations for what is expected to be a stormy session.
Opposition parties, including the BJP, PDP and the Congress and Independents are set to question the Government over its poll promises and implementation of last year’s budget commitments.
BJP which met here, today under the chairmanship of LoP, Sunil Sharma discussed the strategy to be adopted during the budget session. The party has decided to corner the Government on its failure in implementing the poll promises made in National Conference (NC) manifesto.
BJP MLA, Yudhvir Sethi said that the party in today’s meeting decided to ghearo Government in the House for its failure in fulfilling poll promises like regularization of daily wagers, free gas cylinders, 200 units of free electricity to the people, proper distribution of compensation among the flood hit areas of UT in view of the damage suffered by the respective areas as no discrimination in this regard will be tolerated.
The party will also forcefully raise the demand of Law University for Jammu and confront the Government strongly if it tries to defend the admission in Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College. The party may also strongly defend the replacing of MGNREGA by VBG GRAM G Act counter the Congress or other parties in case they tried to raise the issue in the House.
Sethi said today’s meeting was attended by almost all MLAs of the party barring few who were preoccupied with the celebrations of Guru Ravi Dass Jayanti. He said the future strategy will also be adopted on other vital issues which will surface in the House during the session itself.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has summoned a National Conference (NC) Legislative Party meet here on Monday to discuss the strategy for the 22-day budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, set to commence on January 2.
NC Chief Whip, Mubarak Gul on Sunday said the Legislative Party meeting will be held at 4 pm on the following day at the banquet hall in the Chief Minister’s official Jammu residence on Wazarat Road.
“The meeting will be presided over by the Legislature party leader Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah. In view of the importance of the meeting, all members are requested to make it convenient to attend,” Gul said in an order.
The meeting will be attended by legislative members of coalition partners of the NC, including the Congress and CPI(M).
Omar, who also holds the finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the budget on February 6.
Ahead of budget session of J&K Legislative Assembly, tomorrow, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) met here, today under the Chairmanship of JKPCC chief, Tariq Hameed Karra .
The meeting was attended by AICC general secretary & CLP leader, G A Mir, Nizammudin Bhat, Irfan Hafiz Lone, and Iftikhar Ahmed . Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed couldn’t attend due to ill health.
The meeting discussed the current situation and the broad range of issues of public concern to be taken up during the course of budget session, especially the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims ,the issues of daily wagers, need based, casual, contractual and other categories of temporary employees, large scale unemployment, inflation besides the delay in the restoration of statehood and affects of the closure of MGNREGA in J&K. Apart from this all those issues of common people including development, welfare, services including water, power and connectivity, health and education shall be highlighted.
Party spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said Congress Legislators will focus on the needs of the people and discharge their responsibilities towards their electorate in an effective manner besides countering the communal and divisive agenda in the Assembly.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
