82 out of 90 MLA’s submits nearly 800 questions, 80 bills
WAJAHAT SHABIR
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will present his maiden budget on March 7, officials said, as he continued his pre-budget consultations engaging with public representatives from Poonch and Rajouri districts here on Friday.
According to a provisional calendar issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly secretariat, the nearly month-long session will commence with the lieutenant governor’s address on March 3 followed by a discussion on motion of thanks and reply for the next three days.
Abdullah will present the budget on March 7 and there will be general discussion and reply on the budget for three days on March 8, 10 and 11.
The House will discuss the demand of grants till March 24, appropriation bills on March 25 and will have a break till April 7 when private members bills will be taken up, the calendar said, adding April 8 will again witness tabling of private members bills and April 9 private members resolutions and April 11 government business.
There will be a total of six holidays — three on account of Sunday (March 9, 16 and 23) and three on account of Holi (March 14), Navroz (March 21) and Mahavir Jayanti (April 10) — during the budget session.
This will be the first budget of Abdullah led National Conference government after it assumed power in October last year. Abdullah had held the charge of home and general administrative department among others during his previous stint as the chief minister in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from 2009 to 2014.
The previous five budgets were presented and passed by Parliament in the absence of the legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, while the then governor Satya Pal Malik led state administrative council passed the budget for 2019-2020 following the fall of the PDP-BJP government in June 2018.
This will be the second session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly since the formation of the government in the Union Territory. Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly met in Srinagar from November 4 to 8.
The Central government revoked special status under Article 370 and bifurcated J&K into two Union Territories – J&K and Ladakh — in August 2019.
Meanwhile, Abdullah as part of his ongoing pre-budget consultations held deliberations with public representatives from Poonch and Rajouri districts at the Civil Secretariat on Friday.
The discussions were attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and Minister Javed Ahmad Rana, who represented their respective assembly constituencies – Nowshera in Rajouri and Mendhar in Poonch.
The chairpersons of District Development Councils and members of the legislative assembly from the twin border districts participated, both in person and through virtual mode, an official spokesman said.
Addressing the participants, the chief minister reiterated that the purpose of these consultations was to gain firsthand insight into the priorities and aspirations of people through their elected representatives.
“When we undertake new projects, it is our duty and responsibility to ensure that ongoing projects are completed with as much priority as new ones. Every project belongs to people and all ongoing works need to be completed on time,” Abdullah said.
He assured that the issues and priorities raised by the representatives had been duly noted and would be considered for inclusion in the upcoming budget.
“You are the primary stakeholders — you meet people daily and understand their most pressing concerns. Our aim is to involve you in planning and development so that the voices of people find a place in our governance,” he said.
The chief minister emphasized the crucial role of elected representatives in grassroots governance, stating that their feedback and inputs were vital in ensuring effective administration.
“Nobody understands the people and their issues better than you. We want to take Jammu and Kashmir to new heights of development and progress,” he said.
During the meeting, the deputy commissioners of Rajouri and Poonch presented district-wise updates on capex works that would be prioritized in the upcoming budget session.
Moreover, 82 out of 90 Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have submitted nearly 800 questions and 80 private members’ bills.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly had instructed each MLA to submit 20 questions—10 in starred and 10 in unstarred categories—and three private member’s bills by February 10. As of now, all eligible legislators have met this requirement.
With two constituencies—Budgam and Nagrota—currently vacant and Chief Minister and five ministers representing the government, 82 MLAs are eligible to raise questions, table bills, and present resolutions in the Assembly.
However, since Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized in 2019, the legislative scope has changed. MLAs can no longer raise questions regarding the Police Department, anti-militancy operations, law and order, or All India Services, as these fall under the jurisdiction of the Lieutenant Governor. Any questions pertaining to these matters submitted by the MLAs will be rejected, as they are under the domain of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
