JAMMU: First budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory’s Legislative Assembly is likely to be held in January-February next year but it will be a tough task for the Government to handle the Opposition with just six Ministers including the Chief Minister unless the Cabinet is expanded by then as there are three vacancies in the Council of Ministry.
“A call on when the budget session is convened, which would be first of Omar Abdullah Government in the Union Territory, is to be taken by the Government,” Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said.
He indicated that duration of the budget session would almost be same as it used to be in erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir notwithstanding less number of Ministers.
Rather, who has the distinction of presenting several budgets as the Finance Minister in the National Conference Government, reached here today and will hold series of meetings in coming days to set the tone for next Assembly session.
However, the session is likely to be called either by the end of January or start of February, the sources said, and added that the Lieutenant Governor will again address the Legislative Assembly. As per the Rules, first session of the year, which is always the budget session, is addressed by the Lieutenant Governor in the Union Territories and Governor in the States.
Charge of the Finance Department is presently held by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. He also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi recently.
Unless the Council of Ministry is expanded, there will be only six Ministers to reply to all queries of the legislators with each of them holding charge of three to four departments or even more. Previously with Jammu and Kashmir as a State, the budget session used to last over a month when Departments of almost all the Ministries were debated. However, the situation could be different with now only six or maximum of nine Ministers including the Chief Minister as compared to 25 Ministers who used to hold the office in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the sources, all departments of the Ministers will be debated in the Legislative Assembly before the budget is approved. In such a scenario, the Ministers could reply to the departments held by them separately which could prolong the budget session like the past.
First Assembly session of the UT lasted just five days i.e. from November 4 to 8 with debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Lieutenant Governor’s Address. Besides, a resolution seeking restoration of special status and Constitutional guarantees was passed. However, the Question Hour as well as Zero Hour will be held during the budget session.
This will not only be the first budget of Jammu and Kashmir as a UT but will also be the first one after six years which will be presented in the Legislature in January-February session.
Dr Haseeb Drabu had presented last budget of Jammu and Kashmir State in the Legislative Assembly on January 11, 2018 for the financial year of 2018-19 worth Rs 80,313 crore. However, in June 2018, Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition Government collapsed following withdrawal of support to the Government. In November, 2018, the Assembly was dissolved.
The budget for 2019-2020 was adopted by the then State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by then Governor Satya Pal Malik here on December 15, 2018 to the tune of Rs 88,911 crore.
Subsequent budgets of the Union Territory including 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 were presented and passed by the Parliament in the absence of Legislative Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ongoing financial year 2024-25 budget was presented in the Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23, 2024 worth Rs 1,18,728 crore. However, an interim budget of the UT (Vote-on-Account) was taken on February 5, 2024 in the Parliament in view of Lok Sabha elections.
Budget for 2023-24 of Jammu and Kashmir was also to the tune of Rs 1,18,500 crore.
Own financial resources of Jammu and Kashmir will also be a concern for the new Government, the experts said. (Excelsior)
