Jammu, Mar 1 (KNN) The Jammu MSMEs have expressed disappointment with the Union Budget as they say that no special package has been announced for the state despite demand from the industry since long.

Talking to KNN, Lalit Mahajan, President of Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) said “It is an anti-industry budget especially from Jammu & Kashmir.”

On the government’s announcement for setting up 1,500 multi-skill training institutes and National Board for Skill Development Certification in Budget, the MSME association said, “What will they do by opening skill development centres here when there are no industries.”

He pointed that in the past one year no new industry has been set up in the region mainly due to lack of pro-industry policies.

Mahajan, who is also a Co-Chairman of Federation of Industries Jammu (FOIJ) said, “Can’t they give for special package for J&K industry if they can allot Rs 24000 crore for the national banks.”

He said that without the incentives, the industries can’t run in the state.

Meanwhile, reacting to the General Budget presented yesterday, Omar Abdullah, the former chief minister of J&K tweeted, “By not focusing the benefits of #UnionBudget2016 on the #suitboot people @arunjaitley has cleverly made the opposition's job a bit tougher.”

According to a media report, National Congress (NC) expressed disappointment for lack of any special funds and omission of an expected Relief Package for J&K in the Union Budget.

“PDP leaders had promised there would be something concrete for J&K in the Union Budget. Leave alone the possibility of something ‘special’ for the State, there is a complete lack of mention of the State and its pressing needs in the aftermath of the devastating floods of 2014 which has completely shattered the State’s Tourism and Manufacturing Industry”, NC Spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said in a statement issued from Party Headquarters in Srinagar, according to the report. (KNN Bureau)