Finance Minister highlights Rs 17,000 crore support for J&K

New Delhi, July 30: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her response to the Union Budget discussion on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha, emphasised the government’s commitment to reducing the fiscal deficit and providing substantial aid to Jammu and Kashmir.The finance minister highlighted the significant financial allocation for J&K in this year’s Union Budget, amounting to Rs 17,000 crore.We have provided substantial financial support of Rs 17,000 crore in the Union Budget for Jammu and Kashmir this year. This includes Rs 12,000 crore towards financing the cost of the J&K Police,” she said.Sitharaman said that the Centre takes on this financial burden to allow J&K greater flexibility in investing in development activities.In response to a query from Member of the Parliament Mian Altaf Ahmed regarding the welfare of tribals in J&K, the finance minister outlined several initiatives undertaken by J&K.She said that multiple projects have been launched to support tribal communities in these critical areas in healthcare, education, and culture initiatives.The finance minister said that regarding forest rights, after two decades, forest rights had been guaranteed to tribal communities with 5943 forest rights certificates issued.