STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: The budget session of Jammu and Kashmir legislature, beginning on May 25, is expected to be a stormy one with opposition parties gearing up to corner the PDP-BJP government on several issues, including extension of NEET to the state and “failure” of governance.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti-led government can expect tough questions from the opposition parties — National Conference, Congress and some independent MLAs — over the yet fulfilled of promises in the Agenda of Alliance agreed by the two ruling parties at the time of government formation last year.
The session — which was delayed due to stalemate over fresh government formation between the PDP and the BJP following the death of then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in January this year — will start with joint address by Governor N N Vohra to the two houses of the legislature on May 25.
“There is no dearth of issues to corner the government.
There are so many issues of public importance that have not been addressed by this government,” Ali Mohammad Sagar, general secretary of the principal opposition party National Conference, said.
The National Food Security Act (NFSA), the extension of NEET to Jammu and Kashmir and the alleged “U-turns” on the State Industrial Policy are just a few of the issues that will be raised, he said.
“Revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), included in the Agenda of Alliance, has been rejected by the minister concerned on the floor of Parliament. Then there is refusal to return power pojects from NHPC to the state also,” Sagar, who is MLA from Khanyar, said.
NC spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said the party will also raise the issues like separate townships for migrant Kashmiri Pandits, shelter homes for non-locals, and settling of non-state subjects in Sainik colonies.
“On the NFSA front, there is acute ration shortage across the state. The shortage has even affected the Kashmiri Pandit migrant camps which is funded from security-related expenditure,” Mattu said.
He said while every promise made in the agenda has been “broken”, National Conference will also raise the issue of economic slump.
“There is a slump in tourist arrivals, there is a slump in revenue collection. Nothings seems to be right since this government came to power,” he charged.
Congress MLA from Leh, Nawang Rigzin Jora said the PDP-BJP government had “nothing to show” for more than a year of their rule in the state.
“What have the coalition partners done to protect the special status of Jammu and Kashmir? What did they do to keep the state out of the ambit of NEET? We should be kept out of the NEET to protect our students,” he said.
Jora said his party will also raise the issues related to regularisation of daily wagers and contractual employees besides demanding clarity on the issue of promotions for reserved categories.
“We will also raise the ideological incompatibility of the coalition partners which has severely affected governance in the state,” he added.
The MLAs have submitted over 1,200 questions for the five-week session. The members have also submitted 96 private member resolutions.
While the Governor’s address will be on May 25, the next three days will see the house having discussion on the Motion of Thanks.
