Highlights disasters, civic issues
Srinagar, Feb 07: Devyani Rana, BJP legislator and newly elected MLA from the Nagrota constituency, on Saturday made her maiden address in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, paying tributes to her late father and former MLA, Devender Singh Rana.
Rana began her speech by remembering her father, who won the Nagrota seat in 2024 with the highest margin in the Assembly but passed away shortly after. “His absence is deeply personal to me and to the people of Nagrota. His ideals and commitment to public service continue to guide my every step,” she said.
Turning to fiscal matters, Rana welcomed the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for allocating Rs 43,290 crore to the Union Territory for 2026-27, noting an increase of nearly Rs 2,000 crore over the current financial year.
She then reviewed the J&K government’s budget for 2026-27, particularly focusing on the Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation Department.
Rana pointed out that the department’s allocation had sharply fallen from Rs 719 crore in the 2025-26 budget estimate to Rs 350.76 crore in the 2026-27 budget, a reduction of nearly 50 percent.
She said urgent investment is needed given the UT’s vulnerability to floods, landslides, earthquakes, and fires.
Citing local examples, she recalled the deaths of a three-year-old girl due to swine fever and an 18-year-old boy by drowning in her constituency during recent rains.
“The principles of equity and transparency must guide resource distribution, especially in areas that have suffered the most losses,” she said, urging the government to prioritize resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, and the restoration of damaged public assets under the philosophy of “Build Back, Build Better.”
Rana also briefly referred to education, emphasizing the need to strengthen learning outcomes and support schools in disaster-affected areas.
She called on the administration to ensure that development funds and rehabilitation efforts reach the most affected communities without delay—(KNO)
