JAMMU: Ahead of the Budget Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly scheduled to begin on February 2, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday kicked off pre-budget consultations with key government departments, an official spokesperson said.
During the meetings, Abdullah reviewed departmental priorities, assessed public needs and stressed the importance of aligning budget proposals with the overall development goals of the Union Territory. He underlined the need for people-centric initiatives, efficient service delivery and inclusive growth to ensure balanced development across all regions.
The Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, held detailed deliberations with departments including Power Development, Housing and Urban Development, Finance, Revenue, General Administration, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Tourism, Information, and Information Technology.
The consultations were attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary Tourism Ashish Chander Verma, Additional Chief Secretary Power Development Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D. Vaidya, along with administrative secretaries of various departments and senior officers of the Finance Department.
According to the spokesperson, the consultative process will continue on January 21 and 22, covering discussions with 15 other key departments.
The Budget for 2026–27 will be presented by the Chief Minister in the Assembly on February 6. This will be the second budget to be presented by Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister.
