Jammu, 14-02-2025: Jammu and Kashmir’s annual budget for the financial year 2025-26 is set to be presented in the Legislative Assembly on March 7, marking a significant milestone after a gap of seven years. The budget, which had been tabled in Parliament since the imposition of central rule, will now be introduced in the Assembly during the session commencing on March 3 and concluding on April 11, as per the tentative calendar issued by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat. The upcoming session, comprising a total of 22 sittings, will open with the Lieutenant Governor’s address to the House, followed by discussions on the speech on March 4, 5, and 6, culminating with the Chief Minister’s reply on March 6.
The annual financial statement of expenditure for 2025-26, along with the supplementary statement of expenditure for 2024-25, will be laid before the House on March 7. Subsequently, general discussions on the budget will take place on March 8, 10, and 11, with the Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, delivering the concluding remarks on March 11. The Legislative Assembly has scheduled deliberations on demands for grants on March 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, and 24, after which the budget will be put to approval on March 25, followed by the passage of the Appropriation Bills. A 12-day recess will follow the approval process, allowing legislators time to review proceedings and address constituency matters.
The session will also allocate time for private members’ business, with private members’ resolutions scheduled for March 7 and March 9, while private members’ bills will be discussed on March 8. Government business will be taken up on March 11 as per the legislative calendar. The resumption of Jammu and Kashmir’s budget presentation within the Assembly is widely regarded as a step toward restoring legislative processes in the Union Territory. The session is expected to witness intense deliberations on financial policies, economic development, and governance priorities, as stakeholders anticipate a comprehensive fiscal roadmap aimed at strengthening economic resilience and addressing key developmental challenges.