Jammu, Mar 11: Senior leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Provincial President Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta, Yesterday evening interacting with senor party functionaries of District Udhampur Rural at Tikri said that the people-centric governance model of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has effectively exposed what he termed as the “bogus and politically motivated narrative” propagated by the Bharatiya Janata Party about Jammu and Kashmir.
Gupta said that the successive budgets presented by the Omar Abdullah-led government reflect a clear commitment towards inclusive development, social justice and welfare-oriented governance, particularly focusing on the needs of the poor, women, youth and residents of far-flung and rural areas.
He said the government has consciously prioritised neglected regions and vulnerable sections of society by introducing a range of welfare measures aimed at reducing economic hardship and empowering communities. Gupta highlighted that the recent budgets have provided tangible relief to economically weaker sections through enhanced social assistance, improved public services and targeted schemes for women and marginalised groups.
Referring to pro-poor initiatives, the NC leader said the government has ensured additional support for families living below the poverty line by providing 10 kilograms of free ration every month to Antyodaya beneficiaries and extending 200 units of free electricity to the poorest households. He also pointed out that women across Jammu and Kashmir have been granted free travel in government-run public transport, including e-buses, to facilitate safer and affordable mobility for education, employment and daily activities.
Gupta said that such measures clearly demonstrate the government’s commitment to building an inclusive welfare state where development benefits reach every household, especially those residing in remote and underserved areas. He added that the administration has also increased financial assistance from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75000 under the marriage assistance scheme for girls from economically weaker families and expanded pension coverage for vulnerable citizens
Taking a dig at the BJP, Gupta alleged that the party had long ignored the genuine developmental aspirations of Jammu and attempted to divide regions for political gains. He said the National Conference government has instead revived a balanced and regionally inclusive approach by ensuring that Jammu receives its due share of development across sectors such as infrastructure, public transport, employment generation, education and social welfare.
“The Omar Abdullah-led government is committed to bridging regional disparities and restoring equitable development between Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike the BJP, which thrived on divisive politics, the National Conference believes in strengthening unity through development, dignity and democratic participation,” he asserted.
Gupta also reiterated the party’s strong commitment to women’s empowerment, saying the National Conference has consistently supported greater participation of women in governance and decision-making. He said the party fully backs women’s reservation in Parliament and legislatures Assemblies and is determined to create an enabling environment where women can actively contribute to politics, administration and public life.
“The welfare initiatives introduced by the present government are not merely schemes but part of a larger vision to empower women socially and economically. When women are empowered, families prosper and society progresses,” he said.
Gupta further urged party workers to reach out to the grassroots and communicate the achievements and policies of the National Conference government among the masses, asserting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are now witnessing the difference between “politics of division” and “politics of development”.
Gupta also criticised New Delhi for what he termed as the “unwarranted delay” in restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the Centre must honour its repeated commitments to the people of the region. He said that despite assurances from the Union Government regarding early restoration of statehood after the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory in 2019, no concrete timeline has been announced so far, which has created a sense of uncertainty and disappointment among the people. He further alleged that the continued delay in finalising and implementing the business rules for the elected government is hampering smooth governance and restricting the effective functioning of the democratic setup. Gupta asserted that the people’s mandate must be respected and the elected government should be allowed to function with full administrative authority, reiterating that restoration of statehood is not a favour but a democratic and constitutional right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Among others, senior party leaders Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Provincial Secretary Jammu, Rakesh Singh Raka Vice President Central Zone and Ram Parshotam Sharma District President Udhampur Rural , Manmohan verma Block President, Capt Parvitar Singh District Secretary Udhampur and other party senior functionaries.