Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 15: Ahead of the upcoming Budget, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today urged the Government to invest in the people of Jammu and Kashmir to make them self-reliant.
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Addressing a press conference alongside other party leaders, PDP spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal Tramboo highlighted key concerns, emphasizing that J&K faces a severe unemployment crisis, with over 20 lakh youth jobless.
“Despite being a thriving business hub before independence, with an annual turnover of around Rs 1 lakh crore, J&K’s economy has stagnated over the past 78 years, primarily due to poor connectivity and prolonged turmoil,” he said.
He added that post-2019 changes under the new regime have further worsened the situation, “devastating industries, trade, and commerce.”
He reiterated that the Government must invest in the people of J&K to make them self-reliant.
Among the key demands put forth by the party, PDP stressed that the Government must fulfill its promises, including providing 200 units of free electricity and 12 gas cylinders per year.
The party called for support to local manufacturers through purchase and price preferences, with a mandate that all Government departments procure 100% of their equipment from local sources.
It further emphasized that existing enterprises should receive the same incentives as new ones to help struggling businesses recover and attract investment. To address unemployment, PDP proposed the creation of a start-up fund to help young entrepreneurs establish their own ventures.
For the houseboat industry, PDP demanded that repair permissions be eased and timber provided at subsidized rates. The party further demanded that all Government contracts should be awarded to locals, arguing that outsiders have been preferred over the past five years, leaving local contractors jobless, while calling for the clearance of pending payments to contractors.
Additionally, it raised the issue of regularizing 61,000 contractual and temporary employees, stressing that their demands must be addressed without further delay.
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