Health, tourism, horticulture: Centre to ramp up J&K finances; likely to increase budget to Rs 1.20L Cr next fiscal

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has started a process for framing the 2023-24 budget.

The government has asked departments to send their estimates and recommendations for next year’s budget.

Documents accessed by The Kashmir Monitor reveal that  Jammu and Kashmir government is currently holding discussions on the budget which will be presented in Lok Sabha in March.

Finance Department on Monday framed an 11-day schedule for budget discussions with the departments. Centrally Sponsored Schemes and  Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) are also being reviewed.

On Monday, Hospitality & Protocol, Estates Department, Science & Technology Department, Information Department, Cooperative Department, Tribal Affairs Department and Transport Department discussed their budget estimates with the finance department.

Today Tourism, Social Welfare Department, Culture Department, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, and Revenue Department as per the document will present their demands before the finance department.

Last month, the finance department directed all the administrative departments to carry out due scrutiny of estimates and forward their recommendations to the Finance Department.

Official sources said that the estimates of the budget have been submitted to the Finance department by all the departments. “The activity related to the submitting of estimates to the finance department was completed last month on due dates. Based on these estimates, discussions are being held with heads of the departments to frame the budget for every department,” they said.

Last year Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented a Rs 1.12 lakh crore Budget for Jammu and Kashmir.

Official sources said the government is mulling increasing the budget for the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir.

“It is expected that the 2023-24 budget for Jammu and Kashmir will go above 1.20 lakh crore. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has already prioritized the development of every sector whether it is industries, tourism, agriculture, or horticulture,” they said.

Official sources also said that the budget 2023-24 will be people-friendly and will focus on investments. The government is also trying to give a fillip to Tourism, industries, agriculture, and horticulture in next year’s budget.