With J&K Budget Session starting 3rd March, people wishfully hope Omar to deliver Manifesto Promises
DAYA SAGAR
It is not out of place to mention here that in the NC Election Manifesto placed before the voter citizen during the 1st Elections to the Legislative Assembly of UT of J&K Omar Abdullah as vice President of NC had said < “This manifesto is not just a list of promises; it is a pledge with the people. It reflects the blood, sweat, and tears of those who came before us, who dreamed of a prosperous and peaceful Jammu and Kashmir. It is your voice, your aspirations, your resilience, and your resolve. I stand before you as your son, your brother, your friend committed to seeing every promise in this manifesto fulfilled”>.
Pledge has a sanctity and which the voter citizen should/ takes in that sense only. The NC ‘manifesto’ promises that the common man/ voter citizen would have expected worth delivery without any delay after installation of government could be briefed (i) filling all vacancies in government departments within180 days (ii) making job application forms free for all the examinations (iii) provide 200 units of electricity free (iv) will implement a one-time settlement for pending electricity bill arrears in both rural and urban areas (v) providing Rs. 5000 per month to female heads of households to EWS (vi) providing 12 cylinders free of cost per year to EWS (vii) enhancing the old age and widow pension to Rs 3000/pm (viii) entitling woman to travel free in all public Transport (ix) Increasing FREE rice allocation to 10 kg per person per month (x) entitlement for 10 kg rice/Atta per person per month. (xi) free education for all upto University level (which was also part directive principles in J&K Conastitution), (xii) formulate a policy to provide land to the landless and those who have been in uninterrupted possession of state lands for an extended period, granting ownership rights under a considered policy (xiii) dignified return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits (xiv) ensure simplification of passport verification procedures are simplified (xv) shall make all efforts for all engineering and medical examinations to be conducted locally including NEET and other exams.(xvi) formulation a policy for regularisation in a time bound manner for Paramedical staff in Associated Hospitals, GMC Casual labours. Daily wagers, CIC operators, Contractual Employees, Home Guard, Rehbar-e-Khel and other category of temporary employees(xvii) finding ways to reinstate the old pension scheme (xviii) resolving land lease policy and ensure all genuine leases are renewed. (xviii) working towards the establishing of Minority Commission (xix) exploring new tourist destination in J&K, including regions in Pir Panjal, Chenab, and other areas.(XX).
People are still hopefully expecting that the Omar Abdullah Government will come with orders and proposals which immediately concern the common man for day to day requirements and living with possible ease. No doubt programmes/ issues that involve finances would require matching inputs but people expect that any such limitations must have been assessed by the vote seekers before making electoral promises.
J&K Chief Minister had started pre-budget consultations with his colleagues, the legislators , the senior officers in the administration and key stake holders since 5th Feb in relation to preparations of the UT budget that is to be presented for the year 2025-26 in the session starting 3 March. Of course the Chief Minister must also be / is very particularly concerned for the issues and priorities which may be very much in hand with him in relation to the promises made by him/ his party in the election manifesto related to the basic day to day requirement of the common masses of the UT which the people have been very hopefully waiting for over last about four months.
Ofcourse the common man of J&K in the “unorganised civic sector” too is the key stake holder. The common man of J&K wants Omar Abdullah to take on the promises made by his party / his alliance related to immediate local needs and the delays in any form in executing processes / proposals worth delivering commitments made in manifesto cannot be disposed off under the excuse that as Chief Minister of UT he has limited powers/ delegations since it is expected that before contesting elections he was well aware of the fact that he was going to be the member of a legislature of a UT where LG too has some direct / even exclusive jurisdiction on some important matters even for which there should not be any problem for him to initiate notes/ proposals for the consideration of LG. Simply initiating any new process of examining the implications or appointing new committees for the purpose after forming government is surely no any delivery of promises.
The issues that common people expect Omar Abdullah to particularly address in the Budget 2025-26 for ‘delivery’ could be pinned as (I) To- fill up all vacancies in government departments within180 days of taking over (II) Making Job Application free for all the tests/examinations (III) Provide 200 units of electricity free to all (IV) Provide Rs. 5000 per month to female heads of households to EWS (V) Provide 12 cylinders free of cost per year to EWS (VI) enhancing the old age and widow pension to 3000 (VII) entitle woman to travel free in all public transport (VIII) increasing FREE rice allocation to 10 kg per person per month (IX) entitle the general public also to 10 kg rice/Atta per head/month.(X) Free education for all upto University level (XI) regularization of daily wagers and Contractual Employee (XII) one-time settlement for pending electricity bill arrears in both rural and urban areas (XIII) providing Free, Clean and Safe Drinking Water to All. No doubt programmes that involve finances would require matching inputs but people expect that any such limitations must have been assessed by the vote seekers before making electoral promises.
Though not part of election manifesto but still people expect Omar Abdullah Sahib to also address the wages / honorarium issues related to the Special police Officer ( SPOs) and Anaganwadi Workers who are paid disproportionately very low to their job requirements and also minimum surving needs of their family.
It is not out of place to mention here that Union Finance Minister has in the Union Budget 2025-26 presented on 01-02-2026 included a total allocation of around Rs 41,000 crore to Jammu and Kashmir ( almost same like Rs 42,277 crore allocated in the previous fiscal) . For the J&K Police, which is under the administrative control of the Union Home Ministry, Rs 9,325.73 crore have been allocated including Rs 8,897.72 cr for revenue expenditure and Rs 428.01 crore for capital expenditure. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has hailed the Union Budget as a “pragmatic Budget for Viksit Bharat”.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the 2024 elections has been the high voter turnout, reflecting the enduring faith of the people in democratic processes and people now look up to the Government with many hopes and expectations.
LG Manoj Sinha in his address to Legislative Assembly on 04-11-2024 did say ” Our people now look up to the Government with many hopes and expectations. My Government is fully geared up to realize these hopes and fulfil these expectations.” Hon’ble LG Manoj Sinha will surely go an extra mile to endorse the welfare decisions of the elected government, even where the State cabinet does not have direct jurisdiction, to surely endorse every fair action/ proposal. Similarly those who profess that J&K Legislative Assembly and Cabinet have to get ultimate approval of LG for every subject are not fair in their thinking.
(The writer is a Sr Journalist & a known analyst of J&K affairs)