Minister Appreciates CM for Extraordinary Budget Provisions
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today passed grants amounting to ₹1201489.52 lakh for the School Education Department, ₹881370.63 lakh for the Health and Medical Education Department, ₹450428.15 lakh for the Social Welfare Department, and ₹219340.00 lakh for the Higher Education Department through a voice vote.
The grants were passed after a two-day detailed discussion in the house.
Winding up the discussion on Demands for Grants, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare, and Education, Sakeena Itoo, welcomed the suggestions given by the Legislators regarding the functioning of the departments under her charge.
She said that the Legislators have spoken about various aspects of School Education, Higher Education, Health and Medical Education, and Social Welfare departments. Their suggestions will guide the government in addressing challenges and making improvements where required.
Sakeena assured the Legislators that her team will examine the valuable suggestions put forth for implementation. She added that efforts would be stepped up to address the issues raised during the discussion.
Education Sector
While speaking about the School Education sector, the Minister said that education is one of the most important sectors upon which the foundation of a nation depends.
She recalled that under the visionary leadership of late Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, education was given prime importance.
She expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, stating that despite financial limitations, as Finance Minister, he kept extraordinary budget provisions for the education sector. This support will help in improving the quality of education across Jammu and Kashmir.
Reflecting on achievements in the School Education sector, Sakeena highlighted that J&K provides free education up to the university level.
She informed the house that J&K has 18,724 government schools and 5,517 private schools, contributing to a 77.3% literacy rate, close to the national literacy rate of 77.70%.
“Under UT Capex and Samagra, ₹739 crore has been approved for infrastructure development, including new school buildings and additional classrooms,” she said.
The Minister also informed that after the present government took over, in its first Cabinet meeting, the November session was restored on public demand for the benefit of students and parents.
To equip students with the latest education methods, ICT Labs, Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), and Smart Classrooms have been introduced.
In the current budget, provisions have been made for 600 ICT labs, 2000 smart classrooms, and 500 ATLs to encourage innovation and scientific temperament among students.
For students in remote areas and migratory populations, 1,859 seasonal centers are operational across J&K.
Due to various initiatives, government school students have been performing well, as reflected in board exams.
“Last year, most top positions in all streams were secured by government school students. Even in professional competitive exams, they have excelled,” she informed.
To encourage female literacy among SC/ST populations, 89 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been made operational, along with 85 sanctioned girls’ hostels in educationally backward blocks.
Under the Beti Anmol Scheme, more than 12,000 BPL girl students have been covered, with ₹7 crore spent on their support.
Health & Medical Education
The Minister emphasized that the health sector is vital for a developed society.
She announced that GMC Anantnag is the first among the newly established medical colleges to have a dedicated Cath Lab for South Kashmir.
Additionally, a Cath Lab at GMC Jammu will be operational within a week.
The Colonel Chopra Nursing Home at GMC Jammu has started services with state-of-the-art equipment, offering affordable and quality healthcare to the people of Jammu.
She also informed that the Government Homeopathic Medical College, Kathua, has started its first batch of BHMS students (63 students) from a temporary setup at GMC Kathua.
A 250-bedded Maternal & Child Care Hospital is being established at Janglat Mandi, Anantnag, at a cost of ₹86 crore.
To strengthen health infrastructure, several major projects are in progress:
- AIIMS Kashmir is on track for completion by November 2025.
- Additional Block at Bone and Joint Hospital, Srinagar.
- 243-bedded Labour Block at SMGS Hospital, Jammu.
- 125-bedded District Hospital at Reshipora, Budgam.
- 100-bedded Maternal & Child Healthcare Center at Lamberi, Rajouri.
- 16 Critical Care Blocks (50-bedded – 14, 100-bedded – 2) across GMCs and district hospitals.
These projects will significantly enhance healthcare services in J&K.
Social Welfare Department
During the Budget speech for 2025-26, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced revisions in pension amounts across all beneficiary categories.
A graded structure has been introduced for pensions:
- Below 60 years: ₹1,250/month
- Aged 60-79 years: ₹1,500/month
- Aged 80+ years: ₹2,000/month
To support SC students, 9,668 scholarships were awarded, and efforts are underway to expand coverage to 13,000 students.
These scholarships cover tuition fees, maintenance allowances, and hostel support to promote inclusive development.
For transparency, 28,175 Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) have fully adopted the Poshan Tracker, authenticating 8,99,000 Aadhaar-based beneficiaries receiving supplementary nutrition.
Additionally, 2,120 Sanginis and 2,852 Sahayikas have been engaged to strengthen grassroots service delivery.
- 15,929 Anemia Camps conducted, benefiting 16,350 individuals.
- 136 AWCs in aspirational districts converted into Saksham AWCs, with 202 more being upgraded.
- 208 AWCs transformed into Bal-Vidyalayas, with 445 more targeted for transformation this year.
Higher Education Achievements
During her reply, the Minister also presented the Higher Education Department’s achievements before the house.
After discussions, cut motions on Demands for Grants were withdrawn by the Legislators.
Legislators Who Participated in the Discussion
Legislators Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani, Pyare Lal Sharma, Devender Kumar Manyal, Irshad Rasool Kar, Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Mushtaq Ahmad Guroo, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Surinder Kumar, Peerzada Feroze Ahmad, Choudhary Mohammad Akram, Dilip Singh Parihar, Er. Khursheed Ahmad, Iftikhar Ahmed, Bharat Bhushan, Shamima Firdous, Aijaz Jan, Dr. Narinder Singh, Mehraj Malik, Mubarak Gul, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, Peerzada Muhammad Syed, Dr. Bashir Ahmad Veeri, Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad, Sajad Gani Lone, Irfan Hafeez Lone, Mohan Lal, Tariq Hamid Qarra, Muhammad Rafiq Naik, Sajad Shaheen, Sheikh Khurshid Ahmad, Bashir Ahmad Kulley, Thakur Randhir Singh, Salman Ali Sagar, Vijay Kumar, Javed Ahmad Mirchal, Dr. Rameshwar Singh, Satish Kumar Sharma, Dr. Sajad Shafi, Abdul Majeed Larmi, and Shagun Parihar spoke during the discussion, raising issues of their respective constituencies.
