Setting the stage for the upcoming budget presentation on March 7, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a series of pre-budget meetings with several key government departments at the Civil Secretariat here to finalize proposals for the upcoming budget, which is scheduled to be presented on March 7.
The meetings were held to understand the sector wise priorities and to align it with government’s development agenda.
The meetings would continue in the coming days with other departments also scheduled to brief the Chief Minister.
The meetings were attended by Minister for Health & Medical Education Sakeena Itoo, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Javed Ahmad Dar and Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary Jal Shakti Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary to CM Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D Vaidya, along with Administrative Secretaries from the Power Development Department, Housing & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, Tourism, Public Works Department (R&B), Health & Medical Education, Rural Development. Director General Budget Mohammad Sultan Malik and Joint Director Budget Shafat Yahya also attended the meetings.
During the consultations, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasized the need for a pragmatic and growth-oriented budget that addresses public aspirations and strengthens key sectors of the economy.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to inclusive development, transparent governance and efficient utilization of public resources. The discussions delved into both Capital Expenditure (CapEx) and Revenue Expenditure (RevEx), with a focus on optimizing budgetary allocations for infrastructure development, social welfare programs, and service delivery improvements. Chief Minister Abdullah directed the departments to prioritize flagship projects, accelerate ongoing initiatives, and ensure timely implementation of development schemes.
As part of the budget preparation process, the Chief Minister has already held extensive consultations with public representatives from all 20 districts, including DDC chairpersons and MLAs.
Additionally, interactions were conducted with stakeholders from industry, trade and travel, academia, intelligentsia, tourism, sports, agriculture, horticulture, and other sectors. These engagements aim to incorporate diverse perspectives into the budget, ensuring that the government’s financial roadmap is in sync with the needs and aspirations of the people. With today’s consultations covering eight major departments, the pre-budget exercise has been in full swing.
The Chief Minister will continue to hold meetings with other government departments in the coming days to gather inputs and finalize budgetary allocations.
Omar, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is personally overseeing the process to ensure that the upcoming budget reflects the government’s vision for a prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.
The budget is scheduled to be presented in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on March 7 during the upcoming Budget Session commencing from March 3.