SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a pre budget consultation meeting with stakeholders from multiple sectors in Jammu, saying such interactions play a key role in shaping the government’s priorities for the Budget 2026–27.
The meeting brought together representatives from industry and trade, tourism, hotel and hospitality, education, youth affairs and agriculture, who raised sector specific issues and offered suggestions aimed at promoting inclusive growth and regional development.
Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javid Ahmed Dar and Satish Sharma attended the meeting, along with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Additional Chief Secretaries of tourism and power development, Principal Secretary finance, Commissioner Secretary industries and commerce, Secretary education and higher education, Director General budget and other senior officers.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the pre budget consultation process was not a ceremonial exercise but a serious effort to incorporate feedback from stakeholders into policy making. He said similar consultations have been held over the years and continue to inform government decisions.
Abdullah said the presence of senior ministers and top officials reflected the administration’s intent to meaningfully engage with stakeholders and consider their inputs while framing the budget and policies. He said such interactions help bridge the gap between official assessments and ground realities.
He assured participants that the dialogue would continue beyond the budget exercise and that stakeholder engagement would remain an integral part of governance. The Chief Minister thanked participants for their constructive suggestions and said their inputs would be examined carefully while finalising budgetary decisions.
