Statehood delayed at Centre's end, say Cong, CPM

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Chairs Meeting of Coalition Partners Ahead of Budget Session in Jammu

- Press Trust of India

JAMMU: As Jammu and Kashmir is preparing for the first budget session in seven years, chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday chaired a joint meeting of the alliance partners here and discussed various issues for the smooth functioning of the house.

After the meeting, Congress leader GA Mir and CPM's MY Tarigami said the central government should restore the statehood.

The 40-day budget session, having a total of 22 sittings, is scheduled to start on March 3 with the address of lieutenant governor.

This will be the first budget of the government after it assumed power in October last year.

Abdullah, who is set to present the budget on March 7, had held the charge of home and general administrative department among others during his previous stint as the chief minister in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from 2009 to 2014.