J&K gets Rs 37.2K cr, Ladakh Rs 6K cr; disappointing: Opposition

Our Correspondent

Srinagar/Jammu, February 1

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been allocated Rs 37,277.74 crore in the Interim Union Budget for 2024-25, unveiled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. In the allocation, Rs 35,619.30 crore alone has been kept for bridging resource gap in the UT. This was the last Budget of Prime Minister Modi-led current Central Government as the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held in April-May this year.

Ladakh has got Rs 5,958 crore in the Budget. Medical and public health has been allocated Rs 68.44 crore while education, sports, arts and culture have been allocated Rs 13.76 crore. Roads and bridges have been allocated a sum of Rs 36.67 crore while Rs 21.30 crore has been earmarked for the tourism sector. The tribal area component was allocated a sum of Rs 3,162.34 crore.

What about inflation?

As expected, there is not much about inflation and job creation. Nothing was discussed which the common man or poor can feel happy about. —Tanvir Sadiq, Spokesperson, National Conference

To boost economy

Kashmir is the tourism industry. The announcement of interest-free loan in the people-friendly Budget will bring a new revolution in Kashmir’s economy. —Altaf Thakur, BJP’s J&K spokesperson

Focus on polls

The Budget is disappointing for the common man. It is more a list of achievements with focus on elections than the hardships faced by the common man. —Vikar Rasool Wani, Congress’ UT chief

“The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has focused on empowering everyone while framing the Budget,” the BJP said, adding the Budget is a reflection of the young aspirations of young India. The BJP termed the Budget as people-friendly while the opposition National Conference claimed it was disappointing as it had “nothing for the people”.

National Conference (NC) spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said the people of the Union Territory had high hopes from the Interim Budget but it “disappointed” them.

“As expected, there is not much about inflation and job creation. Inflation is high. Joblessness in this country is at an all-time high. Nothing was discussed in the Budget which the common man or poor can feel happy about. I believe it is just a Budget and (the government is) playing with the numbers,” he said.

The Congress said the Interim Budget has brought no relief for the common man. Party’s UT chief Vikar Rasool Wani termed it disappointing for the common man and said it was more a list of achievements with focus on elections than the hardships being faced by the common man, unemployed youth, farmers and working class in the country. He said no relief had been given to the middle class taxpayers affected by inflation.

On the other hand, BJP’s J&K spokesperson Altaf Thakur said this Budget would help speed up the development of Kashmir. “This is a people-friendly budget. The backbone of Kashmir is the tourism industry and the announcement of interest-free loan in the Budget will bring a new revolution in Kashmir’s economy. This provision will take Kashmir’s tourism industry further ahead,” Thakur said.

He also lauded the provision to empower Anganwari and ASHA workers and hailed the announcements made for youth welfare and employment.

Chasfeeda, a woman entrepreneur, welcomed the finance minister’s women-centric announcements and appealed to the women to grab the opportunities.

The Women and Child Development Ministry has been allocated Rs 26,000 crore in 2024-25, an increase of 2.52 per cent from the previous Budget.

The Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 (Umbrella ICDS - Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls) saw the highest allocation of funds at Rs 21,200 crore, followed by the Mission Shakti (Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women) which has been given Rs 3,145.97 crore.

“We were expecting relief from inflation but there is no change. We now expect that it will be done after the elections,” Suhail Shah, vice-president, Lal Chowk Traders Association, said.

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