Ashok Koul takes dig at Budget for missing to address public needs
STC NEWS DESK
JAMMU, MARCH 08 (STC): State General Secretary (Org.) of Jammu & Kashmir Ashok Koul criticised the budget presented by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday. He highlighted a range of concerns that he believes fail to address the needs of the public.
Addressing a press conference Koul pointed out that several key promises made in the political manifesto were missing from the budget. He pointed out that the commitment to provide 12 free LPG cylinders to families not mentioned in the financial proposals.
He criticized the budget for making essential commodities more expensive, particularly the hikes in petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel prices. He argued that instead of easing the financial burden on the public, the budget has exacerbated it.
Koul claimed that many of the schemes mentioned in the Budget were initiatives of the Central Government, rather than original plans from the J&K government. He noted that financial assistance for these schemes would come from the Centre, not the UT government , undermining the local impact of the budget.
Koul also expressed skepticism about the budget’s reception among the people of Jammu and Kashmir, suggesting that it would fail to meet their expectations. He stressed that the budget was unlikely to satisfy the demands of the local population, given its focus on schemes outside the regional government’s direct control.
He called for greater industrial investment to stimulate job creation and reduce the fiscal deficit. He emphasized that attracting both local and outside industries would be essential for the region’s economic growth.
Koul commented on the new electricity scheme aimed at benefiting limited families. While he welcomed the initiative, he criticized the government for not honoring its earlier commitment to provide 200 free units of electricity to all families. Instead, the benefit was extended only to a limited number of families, failing to fulfill the broader promise made to the public. (STC)
