J&K govt puts on hold budget proposals after Opposition objects

Srinagar, June 1: Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday put implementation of various proposals made in the budget for 2016-17 on hold after opposition leader Omar Abdullah objected to it saying the Assembly had not approved the proposals yet.

As soon as the House assembled, Omar raised the issue saying the budget proposals have been implemented by the government even as the House was still conducting the general discussion on these proposals.

"We know you have the numbers and you will pass the budget anyway. But there could have come some good suggestion from here (assembly)," he said.

Omar said the orders for implementation of the budget proposals were issued by the government the same day the Finance Minister made his speech in the House. "It is the contempt of this House. This house cannot be taken for granted. You (speaker) do not have to protect the government all the time. You have to protect this House also," the former chief minister said.

Congress members led by Nawang Rigzin Jora also questioned the rationale of passing the implementation orders when the discussions had not been completed and the House was yet to approve the proposals.

BJP leader Satpal Sharma also joined the opposition in opposing the move. "While this is an established practice at the Centre, Jammu and Kashmir has a special status due to which even laws passed by Parliament are discussed and debated in the state Assembly.

"I agree with my friends (pointing to opposition benches) that these orders should be withdrawn till budget is approved by the House," Sharma said.

Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu said it was an established practice in the state and the Centre that notifications are issued after budget presentation. "If there is any discomfort on this account, we will put these orders on hold," he added.

Speaker Kavinder Gupta directed the government to put on hold the orders for implementation of budget proposals till the same are passed by the House.

PTI