JK budget hollow, falls short of people’s expectations: Congress
Jammu: Describing the budget for Jammu and Kashmir as hollow, the Congress on Wednesday said it falls short of people’s expectations in view of the unprecedented situation and changes in the aftermath of revocation of special status and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories.
The Centre on Tuesday presented a Rs 1 lakh crore budget for Jammu and Kashmir for 2020-21, and said the “highest ever” allocations reflect its commitment to make the Union Territory “a model of development”.
Reacting to the budget proposals, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma termed it as a routine statement of receipts and expenditure which is less than Planning Commission norms of at least 20 per cent increase over last year.
The budget is short of the people’s needs and expectations in various sectors in view of the promised massive development and infrastructure creation after coming directly under the central government, he said in a statement here.
Sharma said there was a lot of shortfall of funds in various sectors due to the alleged mess created by the previous PDP-BJP coalition government due to large scale neglect and pendency of development works and liabilities besides the increased unemployment and unprecedented price escalation.
The budget is hollow…no adequate allocation and allotment of funds earmarked to fulfil the promises, he said.
The Congress leader said there was no allocation for over 1 lakh youth seeking regularisation from daily wage categories and over 50,000 others working on temporary and contractual basis.
There is a hollow slogan for the rehabilitation of refugees but no provision of funds while only a meagre amount was earmarked for Kashmiri migrants, he said. (PTI)
Press Trust of India
