Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday chaired a pre-budget consultation meeting with a wide range of stakeholders from the Kashmir Division to help shape a people-centric budget for 2026–27, which is expected to be presented on February 6.
According to a post by the Office of the Chief Minister on X, the consultation involved representatives from various sectors, including tourism, hospitality, agriculture, education, trade, commerce, industry, horticulture, and academia.
Sources said the meeting focused on assessing key concerns and priorities to ensure that the forthcoming budget reflects the aspirations and needs of the people.
Omar Abdullah stressed the need for an inclusive budget that prioritises the welfare of ordinary citizens, promotes equitable development, and reduces everyday financial pressures on households.
The ongoing consultations throughout the Union Territory seek to capture local perspectives and lay the foundation for robust economic expansion, job creation, and long-term sustainable progress in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier on Thursday, Omar chaired a cabinet meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu, which lasted nearly two hours and cleared several important proposals ahead of the budget session.
Key decisions included approval of the Excise Policy for 2026–27, aimed at generating additional revenue without opening new vends; authorisation for the Tourism Department and the Public Works Department to sign an extended MoU with BRO/Project Beacon for completing critical pending works on the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra tracks, including a Special Purpose Vehicle for operation and management; and other administrative matters, such as promotions.
Although no official statement was issued immediately after the cabinet meeting, officials confirmed that the Lieutenant Governor’s address was discussed and approved. The address will be delivered by LG Manoj Sinha to the Legislative Assembly on February 2, the opening day of the budget session.
This will be LG Sinha’s third consecutive address to the UT Assembly, following those on November 4, 2024, and March 3, 2025.
The budget session, summoned by the Lieutenant Governor, is set to begin on February 2 with the LG’s address, followed by discussions and the presentation of the Annual Financial Statement on February 6.
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