SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday defended the Jammu and Kashmir budget 2026-27, dismissing opposition claims of underutilisation and terming criticism of the proposals as politically motivated.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Abdullah thanked all MLAs for participating in the budget discussion and said the government welcomed both appreciation and criticism. He said framing a progressive budget for Jammu and Kashmir was challenging under the prevailing conditions, but asserted that the objective was to move the Union Territory forward.
“It is not easy to make Kashmir progressive in such circumstances, but through this budget, we have aimed to take Jammu and Kashmir forward and cover all major sectors of the Valley,” he said.
Responding to criticism from opposition members, Abdullah said the budget prioritised weaker sections of society and that any discomfort caused to certain elite sections was not unintended. “If focusing on the weak has triggered some elites present in the Assembly, I apologise, but that is not our manifesto,” he said.
Addressing claims that the budget merely repackaged Central schemes, the Chief Minister said such remarks reflected discomfort with initiatives that questioned the concentration of power at the Centre. He listed measures, including electric buses for women, financial support for tribal families, and scholarships for orphans and those who had lost their sole breadwinners, as examples of welfare-focused interventions.
Abdullah also rejected opposition claims that only 12 per cent of the budget had been spent, calling the assertion incorrect. He said expenditure was higher in the previous year, while spending this year would be lower without affecting salaries or pensions. “We did not shrink the budget due to campaigns. We are not that irresponsible,” he added.
Highlighting the government’s focus on rural development, Abdullah said strengthening the rural economy was central to overall growth in Jammu and Kashmir. He said investments had been made in agriculture, horticulture, weather-based crops and the dairy sector. Referring to a new dairy scheme, he said milk production had increased by one lakh litres, alongside efforts to promote backyard poultry and improve livestock quality.
“If the budget is being termed non-ideal, then why were these advancements not available earlier?” he asked.
The Chief Minister also criticised opposition remarks on the Indo-US trade agreement, questioning its effectiveness for Jammu and Kashmir. He said while the agreement may have benefited sectors such as Kerala’s seafood industry, duty-free imports included tree nuts that largely originate from Jammu and Kashmir. He said the Centre’s decision to make fruits duty-free had adversely affected the Valley’s horticulture sector.
Referring to the agreement as a “sauda” triggered uproar in the Assembly, with BJP members raising slogans and demanding an apology. Abdullah maintained that the agreement had not benefited the people of the Valley, including almond and walnut growers and those dependent on bee colonies.
He further said the opposition’s reaction indicated the impact of the budget. “Was our budget so impactful that you could not remain silent?” he asked while addressing the Leader of the Opposition.
Abdullah said the government had also focused on industrial units, tourism and youth employment. He said the Mission Yuva initiative aimed to provide training and skill development to young people and create job opportunities through nearly 30,000 vacancies in local industries to protect employment for local youth. Education was also highlighted as a priority, including the establishment of private universities.
The Chief Minister said the restoration of the Darbar Move, which had been discontinued earlier, addressed an injustice to Jammu. He also clarified opposition concerns over an interest-free loan to Jammu and Kashmir with a 50-year tenure, saying the borrowing would not burden the Union Territory.
“Considering the declining value of the rupee, a loan of Rs 3,000 crore today would be equivalent to just Rs 97 crore after 50 years,” he said, adding that the funds would be used for development.
Responding to remarks by Wahid Parra on the budget being unrealistic, Abdullah said the Parra-led government between 2015 and 2018 had framed an unrealistic budget despite having resources of Rs 5,000 crore, taking loans of Rs 65,000 crore and leaving a debt burden of Rs 1,500 crore on the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our government has cleared that debt and continues to do so,” he said.
