Today’s edition of Jammu News Mission

JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today informed the Legislative Assembly that a committee had been constituted to ensure the transparent distribution of assets, liabilities and budget between the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh following the reorganization.

Responding to a query from Member Qaysar Jamshaid Lone regarding the apportionment of assets, liabilities and loans, the Chief Minister stated that the process is being carried out in accordance with Notification SO-339 of GAD, dated October 30, 2020.

“The apportionment was to be conducted in a manner to ensure a fair transfer of assets, liabilities and budget between the two UTs. After completion of the process, an official gazette notification was issued on October 31, 2020,” he said.

The Chief Minister, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, further informed that most of the committee’s recommendations have already been implemented.

“Regarding the apportionment of public debt, financial liabilities amounting to ₹2,504.46 crore are to be transferred to the UT of Ladakh. The matter has been taken up with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the administration of Ladakh,” he added.

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.

This is a humanitarian issue, not just a financial issue, says CM

‘Budget 2025 is a foundation for J&K’s self-reliance, not pessimism’

JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to devise a roadmap for the regularization of daily-rated wagers.

Replying to the discussion on Budget 2025, the Chief Minister said, “Through this House, I am announcing the formation of a committee under the Chief Secretary, with the Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Commissioner Secretary GAD, Planning Secretary, and Law Secretary. Within six months, we will finalize a framework, determine the exact number of daily wagers, and legally and financially assess how they can be regularized. Then, the policy will be discussed here in the next budget.”

Speaking about the plight of daily wagers, the Chief Minister emphasized that this is not merely a financial issue but a humanitarian and social concern. Referring to the use of force against protesting daily wagers in Srinagar and Jammu, he remarked, “What happened to them yesterday, I do not want to repeat. But I must ask—why did the situation reach this stage?”

He recalled that during his previous tenure as Chief Minister, his government had initiated a framework for regularizing daily wagers. However, he noted that the 2014 elections and the devastating floods had disrupted these plans. Taking a dig at the opposition, he questioned their inaction, stating, “What did you (the opposition) do? I reviewed past budget speeches from your tenure and found no mention of daily wagers except in the fourth budget speech, where you vaguely spoke about ‘sustainable livelihood’.” He further pointed out that even after the issuance of SRO-520, only 577 daily wagers were regularized.

Challenges in Regularization
The Chief Minister highlighted that, over the past decade, opposition which were in power then failed to address the issue, despite having both state and central authority. He accused them of prioritizing the 7th Pay Commission over the regularization of daily wagers, making the situation more complicated.

“Then came the J&K Reorganization Act, which effectively shut the door on their regularization. Now, we must reopen this issue. But in these years, their numbers have changed, making it difficult to determine an accurate count,” he said. The government must start from the scratch to resolve their concerns, he said.

Budget 2025: A Realistic approach, not pessimistic
Addressing criticism that his budget speech was pessimistic, the Chief Minister clarified that it was, in fact, realistic. “Some members termed the beginning of my budget speech as pessimistic. I believe it was not pessimistic; it was realistic.

I told the truth—I said my whole body has wounds. Pessimism would have been if I had said, ‘The body has so many wounds, death would be inevitable.’” Instead, he explained, “I said, ‘The body has so many wounds, and I don’t even have enough balm for them.’ This is not pessimism; this is our reality.”

He stressed the financial constraints facing the Union Territory, adding, “Do I have enough money to take all the power projects into my hands and start working on them? No. Can I provide free electricity to all the people? No. In today’s age, we don’t even have the budget to ensure 24-hour electricity for Jammu and Kashmir. We are forced to buy electricity. We have worked on increasing social benefits for the poor. But is this truly enough to meet their needs? No.”

Fiscal responsibility and future growth
Quoting an English saying, “Cut your coat according to your cloth,” the C
hief Minister explained the necessity of managing within available resources. “My words were not pessimistic; they were realistic. I presented the truth. We don’t have enough money, but we have prioritized welfare measures that will have a meaningful impact on the people.”
He acknowledged that the budget would not yield instant results but assured that long-term growth had been set in motion. “This budget serves as our foundation. Over the next five years, we will build a strong and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.”

Opposition’s response and criticism
Responding to the opposition, particularly BJP members, the Chief Minister remarked that instead of focusing on the budget, their speeches were centered around Article 370, Maharaja Ji, and July 13.

“Initially, I thought his speech had substance, but in reality, there was nothing related to the budget,” he said, referring to a BJP legislator’s remarks.

A ‘Love Letter’ to the People of J&K
Addressing the interpretation of his budget speech, Omar Abdullah reiterated, “My budget speech is a love letter—to the BJP, to the PC, to the PDP, to the AIP, to Congress, to the CPI(M), to independent MLAs, and, above all, to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Why do we write love letters? To express love. And do we not love those who are in need? Through this budget, we have tried to extend that love by addressing their challenges and aspirations.”

“I am not ashamed to call it a love letter. In fact, for the next five years, we will continue writing such love letters—letters of commitment, of progress and of transformation for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Acknowledging Central Government support
Responding to criticism about acknowledging financial support from the Centre, the Chief Minister stated, “The central government has extended financial support to us. Should I be ashamed to admit it? No, I will not. The reality is that we are not yet self-sufficient. We are not financially independent. That is our challenge. And that is precisely what we must work toward.” He stressed that Jammu and Kashmir had always relied on central funds, but the goal was to achieve financial self-reliance in the long run. “This is not a new struggle. Our past budgets reflect the same reality. But we aspire for more. We aim for a future where Jammu and Kashmir stands on its own feet.” To achieve this, the government has focused on developing new tourism destinations, industrial estates, and encouraging start-ups and entrepreneurship.

Centrally Sponsored Schemes: A reality check
Dispelling the misconception that Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are fully funded by the Government of India, the Chief Minister explained that the UT also contributes significantly. He cited the PM Golden Card, which covers only BPL families under central funding, while the remaining 18 lakh families are supported by the UT. Similarly, under the National Social Assistance Program, 1.43 lakh BPL families receive pensions from central funds, but 8 lakh additional pensioners are covered by the UT’s own resources. “These are not mere figures; they represent our responsibility toward our people.”

The Chief Minister emphasized that after years of struggle, the budget of Jammu and Kashmir was finally being discussed within J&K itself, instead of just being passed in Parliament. “This is an achievement in itself. Some may argue that we still do not have a government of our own. But let me remind them—this budget is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and it is being debated where it truly belongs.”

Restoring people’s dignity and empowerment
He concluded by reaffirming his government’s commitment to restoring dignity, empowerment, and self-reliance for the people. “Some may see these initiatives as mere drops in the ocean, but history has shown that even the mightiest oceans are formed by countless drops.

With these small but meaningful steps, InshaAllah, in five years, we will restore the dignity of our people and build a financially self-sufficient Jammu and Kashmir.” “This is our vision. This is our commitment. This is our love letter to our people.”

Earlier, MLAs Qayser Jamsheed Lone, Showkat Hussain Ganie, Javed Iqbal Choudhary, Shagun Parihar, Abdul Majeed Larmi, Rafiq Ahmad Naik, Shabir Ahmad Kullay, Sajad Lone, Zafar Ali Khatana, Baldev Raj Sharma, Saif Ud Din Bhat spoke on the budgetary provisions on Tuesday and also put forth their views and suggestions.