Jammu and Kashmir's Climate Response: A Governance Priority

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasizes the urgency of climate response for Jammu and Kashmir due to recent extreme weather. He advocates establishing a dedicated department and climate budget to address the issue. Abdullah highlights the need for a structured approach to enhance climate resilience through targeted policies and budgeting.

Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, announced on Thursday that addressing climate change has become an imperative for the Union Territory. He stressed the necessity of a structured and institutional approach to tackle the issue head-on.

Reflecting on last year's extreme weather events, Abdullah underscored the pressing need for a specific department dedicated to studying climate change impacts in the region. He also supported the idea of introducing a separate climate budget, a notion advocated by CPI(M) legislator M Y Tarigami.

Abdullah called for the responsibility of climate change to be assigned to a specific department. He believes that once a thorough assessment is conducted and responsibilities are clearly defined, the government can proceed with appropriately allocating resources and budgetary measures to strengthen climate resilience across sectors.

(With inputs from agencies.)