Pahalgam shadow on Omar’s budget: Special hospitals for shelling-prone zones

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: J&K CM Omar Abdullah presented connected Friday the National Conference (NC) govt’s 2nd budget, peppered with references to challenges arising retired of past year’s Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and devastating floods.Presenting the Rs 1.27-lakh crore fund for 2026-27 arsenic helium besides handles finance, Omar projected 2 dedicated exigency hospitals and bullet-proof ambulances successful frontier areas prone to shelling, cross-border attacks and earthy disasters. One infirmary volition travel up successful Uri and the different successful Poonch. Both had borne the brunt of Pakistani shelling during Operation Sindoor.“...In J&K, conscionable arsenic our system was consolidating with renewed vigour, the barbaric violent onslaught astatine Pahalgam and its aftermath shocked us.

The devastating floods successful Aug-Sept severely battered Jammu region. All sectors, including tourism, handicrafts and agriculture, are severely affected. There is simply a important nonaccomplishment of jobs and business, starring to fiscal accent connected families,” Omar said.The CM announced afloat interest waivers for students of economically weaker families from Class 9 to college, escaped LPG cylinders for families nether Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), monthly sponsorships for orphans, scholarships for tribal students, and escaped govt transport for those with disabilities.

Plans were besides unveiled to summation seats successful aesculapian colleges, portion Rs 180 crore was allocated for modernisation of Amarnath Yatra infrastructure.Omar’s rivals were not impressed. “Central funds person efficaciously been diverted towards enactment (NC) legislators. There is thing for communal people,” said person of absorption Sunil Sharma of BJP. PDP MLA Waheed Parra dismissed the fund arsenic “mere repackaging of centrally sponsored schemes”. Peoples Conference main Sajad Gani Lone called it “uninspiring”.