Ahead of budget session CM chairs cabinet meet
Will hold pre-budget consultations with MLAs from today
Holds pre-budget meet with officials of key departments
Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday chaired a cabinet meeting here ahead of the upcoming budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly scheduled to commence on February 2, with the address of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
“Chief minister today chaired a cabinet meeting at the civil secretariat, Jammu, to consider key matters of public and administrative importance,” the chief minister’s office said in a post on X.
All cabinet decisions will come into effect after receiving the approval of the lieutenant governor.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and ministers, including Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmed Dar and Satish Sharma, officials said. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo was also present.
While no official statement was issued regarding the meeting, officials said the lieutenant governor’s address to the assembly at the start of the budget session, along with certain welfare measures in the annual budget, were discussed during the meeting.
Meanwhile, the CM will consult Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to seek their suggestions and inputs as part of the pre-budget exercise for 2026-27.
According to the schedule already announced, the Chief Minister will hold separate meetings with MLAs representing North Kashmir, South Kashmir, and Central Kashmir on January 23 and 24.
As per the meeting notice, Omar Abdullah will chair a meeting with MLAs from Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam districts at the Civil Secretariat between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM on Friday.
On January 24, the Chief Minister will first meet MLAs from Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama districts between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Later in the day, he will hold consultations with MLAs from Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora districts from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The Chief Minister is also expected to hold similar meetings with MLAs from the Jammu region next week to seek inputs for incorporation into the budget.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister chaired series of pre-budget consultation meetings of Jal Shakti, Agriculture, Rural Development, Forest, Food & Civil Supplies, Youth Services and Sports, other key sectors to finalise the priorities and developmental plans in view of the forthcoming Budget Session of J&K Legislative Assembly.
Deputy CM, Surinder Kumar Choudhary; Ministers Javid Ahmad Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; ACS Jal Shakti, Shaleen Kabra; ACS to Chief Minister, Dheeraj Gupta; ACS Agriculture, Shailendra Kumar; Administrative Secretaries of other concerned departments, senior officers of finance department and other concerned departments attended the meeting.
During the deliberations, the Chief Minister reviewed sector-wise proposals, ongoing projects, and emerging challenges, while seeking focused inputs aimed at strengthening service delivery and development outcomes. “Budgetary allocations must move beyond routine exercises and should firmly be rooted in practicality, efficiency and measurable impact on the ground”, he asserted.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underscored the need for realistic planning, stating that proposals included in the budget should be implementable within defined timelines and capable of delivering tangible benefits to people. “Budgetary proposals should be practicable which can actually be translated on ground”, he said.
The Chief Minister also called for convergence among departments to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure optimal utilisation of resources.
Highlighting the importance of sectors like water supply, agriculture, rural livelihoods and environmental conservation, the Chief Minister directed officials to prioritise initiatives that enhance service delivery, improve infrastructure, generate employment and directly address the needs of farmers and rural communities.
He further emphasised on accountability and outcome-based budgeting, instructing departments to align their proposals with clear performance indicators.
Pertinently, the pre-budget consultations are part of the Government’s broader effort to craft a people-centric and development-oriented budget.
