ibn sultan
Jammu, Feb 6: People’s Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Jammu and Kashmir government’s budget, alleging that it lacks political vision and has largely been drafted by bureaucrats, with little improvement over last year’s financial plan.
Speaking to reporters, Lone said the budget failed to offer any fresh direction. “The budget is as good or as bad as it was last time. I would say it is as bad as it was last time,” he remarked.
He claimed that the document reflected bureaucratic dominance rather than political decision-making. “This is a budget by the bureaucrats. There is no political input in it,” Lone said.
Criticising the government for repeatedly expressing gratitude to the Centre, Lone said the budget lacked an independent policy framework. “They are repeatedly thanking the Centre — repeatedly,” he added.
Questioning the government’s assertions of financial constraints, Lone argued that the budget itself did not reflect any such limitations. “Are there any restrictions in the budget? There are none. There are no financial restrictions at all,” he said, noting that even tax collection appeared unrestricted.
Lone also took exception to what he described as a dilution of the government’s earlier promise to provide 12 free LPG cylinders annually to poor families. He pointed out that the benefit has now been limited to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries. “This is a climbdown,” he said, expressing scepticism over whether even the revised promise would be fully implemented.
(KNO)
