JAMMU, JANUARY 22: On the third straight day today, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired series of pre-budget consultation meetings of Jal Shakti, Agriculture, Rural Development, Forest, Food & Civil Supplies, Youth Services and Sports, other key sectors to finalise the priorities and developmental plans in view of the forthcoming Budget Session of J&K Legislative Assembly.
Deputy CM, Surinder Kumar Choudhary; Ministers Javid Ahmad Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; ACS Jal Shakti, Shaleen Kabra; ACS to Chief Minister, Dheeraj Gupta; ACS Agriculture, Shailendra Kumar; Administrative Secretaries of other concerned departments, senior officers of finance department and other concerned departments attended the meeting.
During the deliberations, the Chief Minister reviewed sector-wise proposals, ongoing projects, and emerging challenges, while seeking focused inputs aimed at strengthening service delivery and development outcomes. “Budgetary allocations must move beyond routine exercises and should firmly be rooted in practicality, efficiency and measurable impact on the ground”, he asserted.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underscored the need for realistic planning, stating that proposals included in the budget should be implementable within defined timelines and capable of delivering tangible benefits to people. “Budgetary proposals should be practicable which can actually be translated on ground”, he said.
The Chief Minister also called for convergence among departments to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure optimal utilisation of resources.
Highlighting the importance of sectors like water supply, agriculture, rural livelihoods and environmental conservation, the Chief Minister directed officials to prioritise initiatives that enhance service delivery, improve infrastructure, generate employment and directly address the needs of farmers and rural communities.
He further emphasised on accountability and outcome-based budgeting, instructing departments to align their proposals with clear performance indicators.
Pertinently, the pre-budget consultations are part of the Government’s broader effort to craft a people-centric and development-oriented budget.