Jammu, 24-04-2025: The Union Territory Cabinet has given its approval for the Lieutenant Governor’s Address, which is set to be delivered by Manoj Sinha at the commencement of the budget session of the Legislature on March 3. The two-hour-long Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was held at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu from 7 PM to 9 PM. The discussions focused on key issues from various departments that would be included in the Lieutenant Governor’s Address before being finalized.
According to sources, the Cabinet thoroughly reviewed and approved the contents of the speech, which outlines the government’s vision and priorities for the upcoming financial year. The document will now be forwarded to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for his final approval, following which it will be sent for publication. In the Union Territory framework, all Cabinet-approved matters require the Lieutenant Governor’s sanction before implementation.
The Lieutenant Governor’s Address, scheduled for 10 AM on March 3 in the Legislature Hall at the Civil Secretariat, will set the government’s agenda and policy direction. It will highlight the roadmap for various departments and lay the foundation for key initiatives. Notably, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is set to present his first budget in the Legislative Assembly on March 7. The budget is currently in its finalization stage, following pre-budget consultations with different stakeholders. A separate Cabinet meeting will be convened for its approval before submission to the Lieutenant Governor.
This will be Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s second address to the Legislature since the formation of the Omar Abdullah-led government in October last year. His first address took place on November 4 during the five-day session held from November 4 to November 8, 2024.
As per the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, the Lieutenant Governor is required to address the Legislative Assembly at the start of the first session following a general election and at the beginning of each legislative year. The 40-day budget session of the J&K Assembly will commence on March 3 and conclude on April 11, with a 12-day recess in between.
Apart from the LG’s Address, several important matters concerning different government departments were discussed during the Cabinet meeting. Sources indicate that the Cabinet granted its approval to various proposals from the Housing & Urban Development, Health, and Rural Development Departments, among others. The meeting reflected the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline policy decisions and address key developmental challenges in the Union Territory.