Srinagar- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that despite financial constraints, his government will continue with the budget framework introduced last year, ensure the progress of ongoing schemes, and roll out select new initiatives to keep development on track.
Talking to reporters after chairing a comprehensive review meeting of the Jammu district, Omar said January and February were not the right months for taking major financial decisions, as any fresh allocations made during this period would lapse by March.
“We have reviewed the situation in the meeting. Major decisions will be incorporated in the next Budget. A substantial portion of the funds allotted to the district has already been utilised, and we are now addressing minor gaps,” the chief minister said.
Omar walked nearly half a kilometre from his official residence on Wazarat Road to the deputy commissioner’s office, where the meeting was held. The review was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, cabinet ministers, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and MLAs from the Jammu district.
Acknowledging the Union Territory’s strained finances, Omar said support from the central government would be welcome. “As much help from the Centre would be good because the financial position of Jammu and Kashmir is not strong. We will continue with last year’s budget framework, carry forward ongoing schemes, and introduce some new initiatives,” he said.
He also urged patience on details of the upcoming budget. “It is not possible that I will stand here and start telling you about the budget,” he added.
Responding to allegations of discrimination against Jammu over the proposed National Law University and the demand by the Bharatiya Janata Party to shift it from Kashmir to Jammu, the chief minister rejected the charge.
“When Jammu got institutions like IIT and IIM, what did Kashmir get? At that time, nobody talked about equality or raised objections that one institution should come up in Jammu and another in Kashmir,” Omar said.
He clarified that no decision had yet been taken on the location of the National Law University. “Leave this decision to us. No decision has been taken so far on where to locate it. Let us take a decision, and then we will see,” he said.
