PDP slams J&K Budget 2025-26, Calls NC’s free power promise an ‘election gimmick’

PDP slams J&K Budget 2025-26, Calls NC’s free power promise an ‘election gimmick’

Srinagar, March 7 (KINS): The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized the Jammu and Kashmir Budget 2025-26, accusing the National Conference (NC)-led administration of failing to fulfill its election promises.

In a statement issued to news agency KINS, the PDP said that the budget has exposed the “massive gap” between the NC’s poll manifesto and its governance. The party highlighted that the NC had assured 200 units of free electricity to every household but has now restricted the benefit to only Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration card holders.

“Out of 16 lakh ration card holders in J&K, only 95,000 will benefit from this scheme, which is merely 5-7% of the total population. This is a clear betrayal of public trust,” the PDP stated.

The party also raised concerns over the removal of 1,27,000 AAY ration card holders from the list before the announcement, questioning the government’s intent.

“If they genuinely wanted to help the people, they should have implemented their promise fully instead of shrinking the beneficiaries to a fraction,” the statement read.

Terming the move as “anti-people,” the PDP asserted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve honest governance, not “broken promises and deception.” (KINS)