Jammu and Kashmir, Feb 2: Jammu and Kashmir will commence its Budget Session today. Ahead of the proceedings, stringent security checks are being conducted at the Legislative Assembly complex in Jammu to ensure a smooth start to the session.
Ahead of the session, PDP spokesperson Zuhaib Mir criticized the current budget, saying the figures remain largely unchanged from previous years. He highlighted unemployment among the highly educated youth in the Union Territory and expressed disappointment over the lack of a special economic package for J&K.
“The last budget for J&K had almost the same figures as before. After the Bhaisaran incident, there was a clear need for a special package from the Central Government. Tourism is completely shut down, and young people are unemployed. J&K is the only state in the country where the most educated youth are without jobs,” Mir told ANI.
He also criticized the treatment of local artisans and small traders, saying, “People bringing Pashmina shawls and handicrafts from across the country are being beaten in the name of Jai Shri Ram and Vande Mataram, and targeted for being Kashmiri Muslims. We expected a proper economic package to address these issues, but unfortunately, it was not provided.”
Mir expressed hope that the upcoming budget would reflect the promises made in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s election manifesto. “In his manifesto, he promised 1 lakh jobs, 12 cylinders, 200 units of electricity, and the Youth Employment Generation Act to be implemented within three months. We expect at least some of these promises to be fulfilled. If not, it will be very disappointing for the people of J&K,” he added. (Agencies)
