CM Mehbooba Mufti’s budget focuses on women welfare and entrepreneurship

SRINAGAR: The first budget of Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP government has focused on women welfare and encouragement of entrepreneurship across the state.

J&K FM Haseeb Drabu also announced waiver of fee of all girl students in government schools up to higher secondary level. He announced reservation of 10% area in all industrial estates for women. The minister also announced waiver of permission fee for sanctioning ‘right of way’ for laying optic fibre cables, besides offering top ten IT firms to partner the government.

“I have attempted to put into a framework the ‘Mufti Model of Government’. Besides in deference to our first woman CM, I have introduced gender specific budgeting,” Drabu said on floor of the House. The annual budget for 2016-17 is around Rs 64,669 crore including Rs 19,694 crore capital expenditure and Rs 44,975 crore revenue expenditure.

The government has proposed to setup four women police stations in the state and earmarked Rs 5 crore for women exclusive bus service in Srinagar and Jammu. Two Entrepreneur Development Centres for women would be set up at Srinagar and Jammu.

“We will also provide 50% subsidy on two wheelers for college going girl students,” said Drabu, while detailing about the budget in a presser. For entrepreneurs, the government would give 50% subsidy on bandwidth for connectivity to IT firms and 50% concession on Quality Certification and Patent filing charges.

“Our expenditure is focused on vulnerable class and budget is aimed to create a system against corruption,” said Drabu.

However, the FM stated that institutional capacity to spend in the state is limited which is going to be the major challenge for the government.