Srinagar, Mar 10: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Pulwama, Waheed Ur Rehman Parra on Monday criticised the recently tabled Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory budget, saying it lacks originality and fails to address the pressing concerns of the region’s youth and marginalised communities.
Speaking in the Assembly, Para accused the government of relying excessively on Centrally-sponsored schemes while neglecting state-specific initiatives that could uplift the people of J&K. He called the budget a missed opportunity that neither offers hope nor healing to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Can the government identify even a single line in the budget that is truly focused on Jammu and Kashmir’s unique needs?” he asked.
The PDP leader raised concerns over the absence of relief measures for daily wagers, whose regularisation had been a prominent electoral promise of the ruling party. He expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to reinstate the free stamp duty provision for women—a measure he said was introduced under former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s administration.
“This exemption is crucial for narrowing the gender divide in property ownership, which remains stark in J&K. Granting a 100% exemption on stamp duty, as has been done in states like Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, would significantly boost property registration in women’s names,” he said.
Para pointed out that despite nearly 69% of J&K’s population being under the age of 35, the budget fails to address the pressing concerns of the youth. “The word ‘youth’ is entirely missing, and so are policies or programmes aimed at their upliftment,” he said, endorsing former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s assessment of the budget as “pessimistic”.
The MLA Pulwama accused the government of repackaging existing Central schemes rather than introducing fresh policies tailored to the unique needs of J&K. He cited several instances where the budget merely reinforced schemes like e-Abgari for liquor licencing, the expansion of the Kisan Credit Card scheme, the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and employment through MGNREGA, saying none of which are new or specific to J&K.
Initiatives such as the SEHAT healthcare scheme, Khelo India training for sports, and PM-SHRI school upgradation programs are all central schemes with no additional provisions from the state government, he said. He highlighted the absence of the Youth Start-Up Loan (YSL) scheme under the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), which was supposed to support young entrepreneurs in the region.
Raising the issue of the recent civilian killings in Kathua, Para demanded a transparent and time-bound probe. He called for the revival of the State Human Rights Commission to ensure accountability and justice for victims of extrajudicial actions. “The absence of a dedicated human rights body leaves victims without recourse, and this must be corrected immediately,” he asserted.
The PDP leader also expressed serious concern over the controversial fashion show held in Gulmarg, calling it a blatant disregard for the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He questioned how such an event could take place without government approval, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. Para described it as an affront to cultural and religious values.
