A day ahead of the first budget session of the Assembly in seven years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday chaired a joint meeting of coalition parties here to discuss smooth functioning of the house.
The meeting, attended by Congress legislative party leader G A Mir and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami, took place shortly after Omar presided over a separate legislature party meeting of the National Conference at his official residence here.
National Conference MLA Ajaz Jan, who attended the joint meeting of legislators, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured the participants that he is hopeful about J&K’s statehood being restored by the end of this year.
“The CM also assured that he is hopeful that the statehood would be restored by the end of this year,” he said.
He said the Chief Minister told the legislators that they can discuss the issues concerning their constituencies. “The budget will be tabled tomorrow. The cabinet will meet before the budget is presented,” he added.
CPI-(M) MLA M Y Tarigami told reporters that various issues were discussed in the all-party meeting of the National Conference and its allies. "We will raise the concerns of the labourers tomorrow.
We will demand that the central minimum wages be implemented,” he said.
“We hope the central government takes steps to fulfil the wish (statehood) of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir hoped that the budget being presented by the government will address the popular public issues and will also lay the foundation for the implementation of the manifesto during the financial year 2025-26.
He said the government has already passed a resolution for restoration of statehood in the last session held in Srinagar and so the delay is from the BJP-led central government which has made repeated promises to the people of J&K on the subject.
“When the prime minister chaired the All Party Meeting of J&K leaders (in June 2021), we were all witness to his statement that reorganization will be followed by delimitation, elections and then restoration of statehood. The centre should have fulfilled its promise after the formation of the popular government in J&K but the delay is on their side,” he said.
Mir said the Congress has been repeatedly saying that restoration of statehood was the biggest issue during last year’s assembly elections and “INDIA alliance is committed to it. Cong being the largest party in the INDIA bloc has already made it clear in their working committee meeting and during the election campaigns.”
Asked about PDP planning to introduce bills to push for the prohibition of alcohol and seek regularization of property rights of residents on public land, he said it is up to the house to decide on such bills.
“It is also a matter of thought that when they were in power with BJP why they did not introduce such bills. The government is more concerned about the issues raised in the election manifesto for which the people voted for it,” he said.