Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday in New Delhi to talk about several important issues, including the budget for Jammu and Kashmir for the 2025-26 fiscal year and pending funds for the current year. The restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir is also expected to be discussed during this meeting.
On December 20, Omar will meet with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, to request more financial help and grants for the Union Territory. He is also expected to bring up the long-awaited release of the 'Business Rules' for Jammu and Kashmir, which are expected to be issued soon.
This is Omar’s second meeting with Shah since he became Chief Minister on October 16, 2024. During their first meeting on October 23, he presented a Cabinet resolution asking for the restoration of statehood.
The discussion with Finance Minister Sitharaman will mainly focus on getting enough financial grants for Jammu and Kashmir. In October, Omar requested ₹6,000 crore in extra help to deal with the funding gap for 2024-25.
He also asked for funding under the “Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment” scheme, which provides 50-year interest-free loans for capital projects.
Jammu and Kashmir remain heavily dependent on financial support from the Union Government.
The upcoming budget session for 2025-26 is expected to take place in January or February 2025. However, the exact schedule has not yet been announced by Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
Omar’s meetings with Shah and Sitharaman highlight the urgent need for financial stability and clear administration in Jammu and Kashmir. These discussions are likely to shape the governance and financial plan of the Union Territory for the coming year, especially as the release of the Business Rules is still pending.
