Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said it is not possible to address all issues of people under the Union Territory Status in Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar said this in reply to a question asked by media persons that people are complaining that what the National Conference has promised in their manifesto during the elections is not visible on the ground level.
“We have said it from day one that whatever we could do under the Union Territory status will be done”, Omar told media persons in Srinagar on Monday.
“The manifesto was not just for five days or five weeks. It was for five years”, Omar said and added “We have not yet submitted our first budget in the Assembly. You wait..we know what promises the National Conference has made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and how we would fulfil them”.
“Why am I fighting so much for statehood? Why am I pressing again and again for the restoration of statehood? As I know there are so many things by which the people are suffering. But to address them it is not possible under the UT status. For that it is necessary to get the status of statehood back “, the Chief Minister emphasized.
He said “We will do both things together. What much we could do under UT status will be done and those things which are possible only after getting statehood would also be pleaded”.
Asked about the Budget being submitted in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly under the Union Territory status would be a different one, Omar skipped the question and said “it would be a big mistake to speak about the budget before its presentation in the Assembly on March 7”.
“Budget belongs to the Government and it is the duty of the Government to present it first in the Assembly and I am not going to say anything about it”, he said and added “whatever would be added or not in the Budget, would be presented in the Assembly on March 7”.
Regarding the less precipitation this winter and the apprehensions of the farmers, Omar said “I am aware of the apprehensions of the farmers”.
He said less than 80 percent precipitation of rain and snowfall was witnessed during the winter months in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said there are areas in Jammu and Kashmir where agriculture is dependent on 70 to 80 percent of rainfall. He said if precipitation of rain and snow would be less during the winter it would definitely cause water scarcity during the summer months.
“I have recently said through social media that we should be prepared for the coming summer months as there is a possibility of water scarcity not only for agriculture but for household use also”, Omar said.
He said the people should utilise the water judiciously and the government had to bring measures for rainwater harvesting and to save snow.
“What much possible measures for the farmers would have to be done, will be taken up after consulting the agriculture department and Jal Shakti department”, Omar said.
