Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 7: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday described the budget presented in the legislative assembly as "historic," stating that it is the first time in the country that the concerns of every single legislator were taken into account during its formulation.
Addressing the post-budget press conference, Omar said that his goal is to make Jammu and Kashmir economically self-reliant and reduce its dependence on Delhi for minor and meagre issues.
He acknowledged that achieving economic independence would require difficult decisions, which, though not painless, would ultimately serve the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Fulfilment of Manifesto Promises
Responding to opposition criticism about the non-fulfillment of manifesto promises, Omar asserted that the promises are being fulfilled one by one.
“But I have repeatedly said that people did not give us a five-week or five-month government; they gave us a five-year government. Now, don’t ask me every day which promise has been fulfilled. Ask me after five years when the term is over. On that day, sit down and ask me what I have done in these five years. Then I will tell you. I don’t have to give you a daily checklist of promises fulfilled. After five years, I will present my checklist to you and say, these were my promises, and these are my achievements,” Omar said.
Free Electricity and Welfare Measures
Asked why free electricity was provided only to the AAY (Antyodaya) category and not the entire populace, the Chief Minister said, “For now, we will focus on the areas that need the most attention first. Moreover, if you look at it, we are providing much more free electricity than what is given in other states. If you see how much electricity we generate and how much revenue we collect, it is much higher than in other states. Despite this, we are committed to providing 200 units of free electricity to the most deserving people. We have started with AAY households, and as our financial condition improves, we will expand this benefit further.”
Regularization of Daily Wagers
On the issue of regularizing daily wagers in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said the government would first ascertain their numbers in the initial phase before formulating a comprehensive policy for their regularization.
Return of Migrant Kashmiri Pandits
Regarding the return of migrant Kashmiri Pandits, Omar stated, “We have mentioned in the budget that we will improve their living conditions and complete the transit accommodation project for them. As for the issue of bringing them back, it depends on the budget and the situation. I have repeatedly said that Kashmiri Pandits did not leave Kashmir because of their financial condition; they left because their lives were in danger. Until we address this threat, we cannot expect them to return fully. Therefore, for now, it is our shared responsibility in the UT, along with the LG and the elected government, to create such conditions in Kashmir that Kashmiri Pandits who left can return voluntarily.”
Omar Abdullah as Ambassador Against Obesity
Asked about his nomination as an ambassador by Prime Minister Modi to combat obesity, Omar said, “We can only talk and set examples. We want to set an example for others to follow. For instance, at my age, I can run 20 kilometers. So, what excuse do 20-22-year-olds have if they are medically fit but cannot maintain their weight? I am not trying to scare people or force them, but I am trying to set an example that most people can follow. That would be a good thing. First, I will ask my ministerial colleagues to start with me by running five kilometers, and then I will push the rest of Jammu and Kashmir to do the same.”
Film Shooting Policy and Tourism Promotion
Omar also highlighted plans to strengthen the film shooting policy in Jammu and Kashmir. He noted that while promoting the region in Bollywood is not difficult, there is an entire film industry in South India where Jammu and Kashmir is not actively promoted.
“Our effort will be to encourage the film industries of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala to shoot in Jammu and Kashmir. This will have two benefits: one, the use of local resources for shooting, and two, attracting tourists from South India. Currently, most of our tourists come from Gujarat, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. We hope that through film shootings, we can divert South Indian tourists to Jammu and Kashmir,” Omar said.
Budget Session Timing During Ramadan
Asked if the budget session could have been adjusted earlier or later due to the ongoing Ramadan, Omar replied, “Yes, we could have. I will definitely say that if I have to present the budget next year, I will not do it during Ramadan. I will adjust the budget session accordingly. Otherwise, I will request the Speaker to hold the session after 6:30 PM in the evening, but I will not present the budget while fasting during the day.”
Cricket Stadiums and IPL Matches
The Chief Minister also revealed efforts to build international-level cricket stadiums in Jammu and Srinagar. “We will certainly try to host IPL matches here. A stadium has been proposed on the Katra side, and discussions are ongoing with the BCCI to build a similar international-standard stadium in Kashmir so that we can organize such matches on a good pitch and in a good stadium,” Omar said.
Tourism and Visit Count Methodology
Responding to questions about tourist arrivals in Jammu and Kashmir and the figures projected by various media houses, Omar clarified the difference between the number of people and the number of visits.
“I want to explain this. We have slightly changed the way we count. Now, we don’t count people; we count visits. For example, if you are married and have children, say one daughter, and you are three people. If you go to Srinagar for a holiday, that counts as three visits. If you go from Srinagar to Gulmarg, that’s three more visits. If you go from Gulmarg to Sonamarg, that’s another three visits. If you go from Sonamarg to Pahalgam, that’s three more visits. Only then do we arrive at the number we give you. That’s why I didn’t say that so many people came; I said so many visits happened. We count visits destination-wise, just like the Government of India’s tourism figures are counted. So, we are not saying that four crore people came here. We are saying that so many visits happened to so many sites,” Omar explained. |
