Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he was thankful to Centre for releasing a compact budget for J-K which is aimed at building ‘Naya J&K’ under which special focus will indeed remain on security. He said that tourism, youth empowerment, education, industrial investment will be top priorities in the years ahead.

Talking to reporters on the side-lines of a function in Jammu, the LG said that security indeed is a primary concern which has been duly taken care off in the J&K Budget announced by the Centre.

“But Tourism, Youth Empowerment, Education and Industrial investment will be the top priorities that have been addressed in the Budget,” he said. The LG said that 70 per cent of the J&K population is dependent on Agriculture and its allied sectors. “This is our top priority and the budget allocation for Agriculture and its allied sectors have been addressed through huge allocation,” he said.

He said that the computer-based examinations that were deferred yesterday will be conducted once Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board will be fully satisfied and that exams will be held soon.

He said that the transparency is a top priority for them and if there is any iota of doubt that will be addressed. The LG said that the recruitments will be done based on merit and transparency is the top priority for them and there will be no compromise on it.

Replying to a question, Sinha said 47 employees have been dismissed from their services as they were having militancy links.

“The statement I made a day before about jobs were given to militants was based on facts as action has already been taken against many people,” he said