New Delhi, Feb 21 (KNO): Terming the first budget of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir a “good start” to lay the foundation for the next five years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said that the government led by him will try its best to live up to the expectations of people.
Talking to reporters here the Chief Minister, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said, “I know all the issues cannot be resolved in the first Budget, but it would be a good beginning to lay the foundation and move ahead.”
Earlier, addressing a gathering on the 18th CII Annual Tourism Summit, in the national capital, Omar Abdullah asked the people associated with industries and other businesses to give suggestions and inputs to him for the upcoming budget.
“If there are inputs or suggestions you would like to give to make your lives easier as entrepreneurs, as industrialists, as investors and business people, then this is the time to do it.”
He said, “This is the time when we are now sitting down to actually write the budget that I will have to read out in the Assembly on March 7.”
“Right now, we are operating on a blank slate. You have nothing really to judge me by. Whatever I have is what I inherited four months ago. Now, it is the time when I start to put my stamp of this elected government on the policy, on the framework and on the way forward,” he said.
“This is the point from which my assessment time starts. Therefore, I request the people interested to give me your suggestions and inputs,” he said while assuring that none of them (suggestions) will go unread and unconsidered. “Those that we can begin with implementing immediately within the current framework that we have, I assure you we will.”
Pertinently, the Chief Minister held pre-budget consultations with public representatives, traders, business community and others across Jammu and Kashmir.
The pre-budget consultations concluded in Kashmir on February 13 while in Jammu it concluded yesterday. The Chief Minister had stated that these consultations were must too understand the priorities of public—(KNO)