Asserting that he never asked any media house not to write against him or in his favour, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today informed the house that he does not believe in media censorship.
“I don’t believe in media censorship. I never asked any media house to not write against me or in my favour. I will never use advertisement as a pressure point,” Chief Minister Abdullah said while replying to the discussion on Demands for Grants and expressed gratitude to the legislators for their active participation, noting that 43 members took part in the debate.
In the Information Department, Omar Abdullah said there would be further rationalisation in advertisements, ensuring transparency based on circulation, readership and reach.
The Chief Minister thanked legislators for their valuable contributions and assured that concerns raised would be addressed appropriately. He requested withdrawal of cut motions, which was subsequently agreed upon by the House.
The Chief Minister emphasised that climate response is now a compulsion for J&K, especially after the impacts of drought and heavy rains last year.
He said a fund for climate change mitigation has been prepared, and stressed the need to assign departmental responsibility for studying and addressing climate change impacts before undertaking further budgetary measures.
Calling tourism a vital sector, Omar Abdullah said the government successfully revived the industry despite difficult circumstances following the tragic Pahalgam incident.
“Today, Gulmarg hotels are full. Sonamarg hotels are full,” he said, adding that several destinations have been reopened with the intervention of the central government.
He expressed hope that by May, all remaining closed destinations would be reopened.
The Chief Minister also spoke about projects like the Jammu Riverfront, envisioning its development similar to Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront.
He emphasised the need to expand tourism into remote areas where industrial scope is limited, particularly in Jammu, which already attracts over one crore pilgrims annually to Mata Vaishnodevi.
“If we can retain even 10 percent of these tourists for 6-7 days, it can transform Jammu’s economy,” he said.
He also highlighted new initiatives such as Baag-e-Gul-e-Dawood (Chrysanthemum Garden), which drew large crowds this year.
The Chief Minister termed power both a challenge and an opportunity, noting that J&K consumes more electricity than it generates.
He said J&K has an 18,000 MW power potential, of which only 3,000-3,500 MW has been developed.
“Our intention is that in the next 2-3 years, we will add another 3,000-3,500 MW,” he said, with a long-term goal of developing the remaining 11,000 MW over the next 10-15 years.
He assured full implementation of the RDSS scheme to improve distribution infrastructure and reiterated that the government has no intention of privatising distribution companies.
On encroachments, Omar Abdullah assured that action would begin against “big sharks” and land grabbers rather than the poor.
Regarding solid waste management, he said legacy waste is a serious issue across cities and addressing it would bring major benefits.
He announced that 2-3 major vertical housing projects would be launched in Jammu and Srinagar this year, with special focus on Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
The Chief Minister said ongoing incomplete mini-secretariats, including Tangmarg, Srinagar, Poonch and other places, would be completed immediately.
He also assured that issues related to leases and Ghair Mumkin Khads would be resolved during this financial year.
On issues raised regarding CDF and related matters, the Chief Minister assured MLAs that savings under the scheme belong entirely to them.
“This money is yours. These savings will not go back to the Treasury,” he said, adding that a special order would be issued for clarity.
