Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced on Sunday the cancellation of his scheduled programs in Jammu due to the ongoing severe cold wave conditions affecting the Kashmir valley. He will remain in Srinagar to oversee the operations of essential services, particularly in the power and water supply sectors.
Abdullah, who was returning from a trip to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, stated that he would arrive in Srinagar by Friday morning to assess the situation in the valley. He acknowledged the difficulties residents are facing with water and electricity supply amid the harsh weather conditions.
“In light of the severe cold spell in the Kashmir valley and the resultant difficulties with water and electricity supply, I have decided to cancel my forthcoming programs in Jammu and station myself in Srinagar for the next week to personally monitor the functioning of the Power department and other important departments,” Abdullah posted on X while en route to Srinagar.
He expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to event organizers due to his cancellation but emphasized that it was necessary under the current circumstances. “I will make it up to the people and organizations whose programs have been affected,” he added.
In a related development, CM Abdullah clarified that the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike on Kashmiri shawls was not discussed during the 55th meeting of the GST Council, which took place in Jaisalmer on Saturday and was chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
This news was welcomed by local artisans, as Abdullah assured reporters that any increase in GST on shawls, particularly Pashmina shawls, would have severely impacted the industry. “Thankfully, it wasn’t taken up, and we will also ensure that in the future, something like this is not considered because it would be life-threatening to our Pashmina shawl industry,” he stated.
The clarification came shortly after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti urged CM Abdullah to address concerns regarding the proposed GST hike on Kashmiri shawls.
