Jammu, Feb 6: For the second straight day, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah continued pre-budget consultation with stakeholders, emphasising that feedback from public representatives is crucial as they remain directly connected with the people.
As part of this exercise, the CM held a series of consultative meetings with District Development Council (DDC) chairpersons and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from Baramulla, Udhampur, Kulgam, and Ramban districts.
Addressing the participants, the CM reiterated the government’s commitment to an inclusive budget-making process.
“The Assembly may pass the budget, but it should not be framed in isolation. We aim to ensure that the proposals of people’s representatives, including DDC chairpersons and MLAs, are considered and their needs and aspirations are reflected in the budget,” he said.
He said that such consultations provide a clear picture of ground realities, enabling the government to formulate policies that effectively address public concerns.
“These discussions will not only help us in short-term budget planning but also contribute to long-term policy formulation, ensuring that governance priorities align with the needs of the people,” he said.
During the meeting, DDC chairpersons and MLAs of the concerned districts presented demands prioritised by them.
The participants raised key issues and demands related to roads, health infrastructure, power supply infrastructure, rural development, water supply, education, sports facilities, recruitment, irrigation and flood control and animal husbandry.
Additionally, concerns regarding urban development, forest clearances, drug menace, tourism promotion, solid-liquid waste management, parking facilities, and new development projects were also discussed.
The MLAs also underlined the need for effective implementation of water supply schemes in main towns under AMRUT 2.0 and called for sorting out issues in the tendering of works so that funds under JJM are utilised.
Among other issues and demands, the upgradation of power infrastructure, solid waste management, providing critical staff to hospitals and PHCs, physical audit of building infrastructure in schools, Wullar lake conservation, flood protection works, setting up of fire service stations in rural areas, decongestion of district headquarters, parking facilities and construction of mini-secretariat buildings in districts and sub-districts were proposed by MLAs and DDC chairpersons.
The meeting was attended, both in person and virtually by ministers Sakina Itoo representing Damhal Hanjipora, Javed Ahmad Dar, representing the Rafiabad assembly constituency and Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani.
Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D Vaidya, Director General Budget, Director General Expenditure Division-I as well as MLAs, DDC chairpersons, and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) from the respective districts.
The CM thanked the public representatives for their suggestions and insights and emphasised that the primary objective of these meetings is to formulate a people-centric budget by incorporating their valuable input and listening to their feedback.
On Wednesday, as part of the ongoing consultations, CM Omar held similar meetings with public representatives from Anantnag, Kathua, Samba, and Budgam districts in which demand for various development projects and budgetary requirements were discussed.
