ibn sultan
Srinagar, Jan 23: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday chaired a pre-Budget consultation meeting with key stakeholders at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar to seek inputs and suggestions ahead of the Budget for the financial year 2026–27.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javaid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma, along with Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta, ACS Tourism Ashish Chander Verma, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D. Vaidya, Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce Vikramjit Singh, Secretary Social Welfare Sarmad Hafiz, and senior officials from various departments.
Stakeholders representing diverse sectors—including industry, trade, hospitality, tourism, education, agriculture, horticulture, entrepreneurship and various business associations—participated in the discussions and presented their suggestions for inclusion in the upcoming Budget.
The consultations are part of the government’s ongoing preparations for the Budget 2026–27 of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that pre-Budget consultations are an integral part of the government’s annual exercise to gather feedback from different sectors. He noted that such interactions help shape policies and ensure effective and equitable allocation of resources.
The Chief Minister emphasized that pre-Budget consultations play a vital role in addressing economic challenges and promoting inclusive growth. He stressed the need for a people-friendly Budget that reflects the aspirations and sentiments of the public.
He further assured the participants that the suggestions and inputs received during the meeting would be carefully examined and, wherever feasible, incorporated into the Budget 2026–27 to make it responsive and pragmatic.
