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- Says Budget failed daily wagers, casual labourers and jobless youth
SRINAGAR: President of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and former minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Friday came down heavily on the Omar Abdullah-led government, accusing it of presenting a “figure-heavy but people-light” Budget that has failed to address the most pressing concerns of Jammu and Kashmir’s working poor.
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s second annual Budget of Rs 1,13,767 crore (net), Yaseen said thousands of daily wagers, casual labourers, and anganwadi workers were once again left disillusioned, as the much-promised regularisation and enhancement of honorarium found no mention in the financial roadmap.
“The Chief Minister showered praise on daily wagers and anganwadi workers for their services, but praise does not put food on the table. These workers have been waiting for justice for decades, and yet the Budget offers them only assurances, not solutions,” Yaseen said.
He reminded the government that during the previous Budget session, Omar Abdullah had announced the formation of a high-level committee to work out a roadmap for the regularisation of daily wagers and ad hoc employees, promising that a policy would be announced in the next Budget.
“That promise has now been quietly buried under poetic speeches and glossy projections,” Yaseen remarked. Calling the Budget “detached from ground realities,” the PDF chief said that while the government claims to be people-centric, it has ignored those who keep basic public services running.
“When nearly 60 per cent of expenditure is consumed by salaries, pensions and debt servicing, where is the space for social justice and employment security?” he asked.
Yaseen also questioned the sustainability of the government’s fiscal claims, noting that the tax-to-GDP ratio has declined from 7.5 per cent to 6.6 per cent. In contrast, fiscal deficit is projected to rise in 2026–27. “This reflects weak internal revenue generation and growing dependence on central assistance, which undermines the UT’s economic autonomy,” he said.
While welcoming welfare measures such as fee waivers, LPG cylinders, and scholarships, Yaseen said these measures resemble “relief packages rather than a long-term development vision.” He added that unemployment, price rise, and job insecurity remain unaddressed despite tall claims of inclusive growth.
“The Budget talks of a ‘brighter horizon’, but for daily wagers, anganwadi workers and unemployed youth, that horizon keeps moving farther away,” Yaseen said, urging the government to immediately announce a concrete, time-bound policy for regularisation and fair wages.
He warned that continued neglect of vulnerable sections could deepen public resentment. “Budgets are meant to restore hope. This one risks eroding trust,” he added.
