SRINAGAR: Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Monday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir government, alleging that the budget has been designed to benefit the ruling National Conference rather than the wider public.
Speaking to reporters, Sharma expressed concern over the Chief Minister’s reported description of the financial plan as a “National Conference budget,” calling the remark unfortunate. He said that although a government may be led by a political party, the budget should represent the interests of the entire Union Territory.
Sharma claimed that several development initiatives and centrally sponsored schemes appeared to be concentrated in constituencies represented by the National Conference, raising questions about the fairness of allocations. He asked why constituencies represented by the BJP were not receiving similar attention in terms of roads, buildings, and other infrastructure projects.
He also criticised the utilisation of funds under the SAKSHI (SASCI) scheme, alleging that the interest-free funding intended for the completion of stalled or ongoing public projects had been used in a manner favouring ruling party legislators. According to him, the scheme was sanctioned by the Government of India for public welfare purposes and should not be used for political considerations.
The Leader of Opposition further questioned the formation of a committee for the next tranche of funds, stating that the distribution of the initial allocation itself required scrutiny. He alleged that the government was functioning more like a party organisation than a public institution.
Sharma also said that key public concerns such as unemployment, poverty, and the issues of daily wagers were not receiving adequate attention. Reiterating that SAKSHI funds were meant for people-centric development, he stressed that future allocations should be handled transparently and fairly across all constituencies. (KNC)
