Jammu, Feb 06: Senior People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and legislator from Pulwama, Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, on Friday dismissed the second budget of the incumbent J&K government as a “hopeless” document that offers “no healing or hope” to the people.
Speaking to Kashmir Convener, MLA Para stated that the budget, presented against the backdrop of high public expectations, has completely failed to address the core issues plaguing the region, particularly its youth, who constitute over 60% of the population.
“This budget is a reflection of your intent, and that intention is missing,” Para stated. “There is nothing for the youth of J&K. With great hope, people voted, and we felt that we would address the issue of unemployment… the issue of 1 lakh daily wagers, horticulture, farmers’ concerns, and KCC loans. But after 15 months, this second budget shows a problem in the intention.”
The PDP leader accused the government of playing with numbers and making hollow announcements meant only for media headlines. He cited the example of cooking cylinder subsidies, claiming that similar announcements made last year have yet to reach the people. “When you deduct the numbers [of beneficiaries] and then increase the announcement, then no one will benefit from it,” he alleged.
MLA Para highlighted a stark contradiction. “They say industries should prioritise J&K youth, but the government itself is outsourcing its posts. 24,000 posts have been outsourced, 15,000 vacancies remain unfilled, while 6 lakh outside labourers are working here,” he said, painting a picture of a deepening unemployment crisis that is pushing local youth into “depression and stress.”
Para further pointed to a critical policy vacuum, noting that the J&K government has functioned for over 1.5 years without an industrial policy, which also finds no mention in the current budget. “The purpose of policy is to create incentives. This government has not had an industrial policy for 1.5 years. So what was said about handicrafts and handlooms? There is no policy. How can there be an announcement?” he questioned.
MLA Pulwama branded the budget document as “vague” and merely a “repackaging of centrally sponsored schemes,” asserting that it fails to answer the fundamental question: “What did the common man get in this budget? What did he get from this government?”
Comments are closed.