Annual budgetary allocation for J&K diminutive and directionless: NC
Says Horticulture, Handicraft, tourism sector left high and dry
Srinagar, Mar 18 (PTK): Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Wednesday said the budgetary allocations for Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2020-21 sans vision leaving people affiliated with horticulture, handicrafts, and tourism sector high and dry.
In a joint statement issued to PTK, Party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar and District President Peer Afaq said the incumbent central government has miserably failed to take steps to revive the ailing economy of J&K.
“The people associated with horticulture sector of the state had pinned their hopes on the budgetary allocations, hoping that the central government would come to their rescue and provide recompense to their losses that they had incurred due to the inclement weather conditions previous year and the prevailing tumultuous situation. However the people associated with the concerned sector are feeling dejected,” they said adding, “There is nothing substantial in the budget that endeavors to revive the demand and consumption in J&K.
The only way to stipulate the economy is to give money in the hands of deprived and under privileged. The budget is more of a patch work devised to hide the failures of the incumbent government in stimulating growth that has come to a halt after august 5th last year. Every budget has a purpose, it reflects the conditions prevailing in the state, endeavors to find a remedy, and strive to drive the growth and development; unfortunately this budget is clueless on all fronts.”
Imran said the annual budgetary allocation for J&K for the year 2020-21 is diminutive and directionless. “The fate of nearly sixty one thousand consolidated and daily wagers is hanging in lurch. The government has yet again chosen to not to address their woes in its financial layout for 2020-21. The government should without any delay regularize them besides clearing their back wages on priority basis. The pay anomalies in SR0-202 job policy should also be revisited to bring the wages of employees engaged under it at par with other government employees,” he said.
He said the recompense being given out to the orchardists, who have incurred heavy losses due to ongoing winter seasons intermittent snowfall is akin to rubbing salt to their wounds.
“The government has washed hands of its responsibility by giving them RS900 per kannal as recompense to their losses. However the losses exceed the paltry recompense being given to them.
The orchardists have incurred losses to the un-plucked fruit, and the consignments of fruit which failed to reach markets due to frequent logger jams on national highway connecting Srinagar with rest of the country.
The orchards have also lost their vegetative parts, thousands have been uprooted and many have suffered serious damages. As such the losses are immense and will take many years to put the primary sector back on track,” he said adding, “Therefore a comprehensive economic package should have been announced in the budget. Besides they should have announced loan waivers and relaxation in liquidation of loans which has not happened.”
He said the handicrafts sector was already hit by GST. “The artisans involved in the sector have been hit the hardest. Government should have invested more in reviving their livlehoods which has not happened.
Absence of tourism has further pushed them to wall,” the statement said adding, “Tourism industry in Kashmir has suffered immense losses over the past one year owing to uncertain situation. Nothing much has been given to this sector too leaving the industry on god’s mercy.” (PTK)
