Chief Minister Omar 2.0 Review: Of 12 Major Promises, Only One Fulfilled in J&K
By: Javid Amin | 14 October 2025
A Year of Expectations, a Year of Judgment
It has been one year since Omar Abdullah took office as Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir with the promise of a “new dawn,” uplifted hopes, and a bold agenda under the 2024 NC manifesto titled “Dignity, Identity, and Development.” Voters embraced the narrative: returning to dignity, reclaiming identity, and accelerating development in a land long burdened by conflict, disillusionment, and governance deficits.
But as the administration enters year two, a harsher truth emerges. Of twelve major promises that the National Conference placed at the centre of its vision, only one has been fully delivered — the revival of the 69th National School Games. Critics, opposition leaders, and civil society voices warn that credibility is eroding fast, and “poetic manifesto, passive governance” is becoming a refrain heard widely across the region.
This is not just a retrospective — it is a reckoning.
The 2024 Manifesto: Ambition, Promise & Political Theatre
The NC’s manifesto for the 2024 Assembly elections, published under the banner “Dignity, Identity, and Development,” set high expectations. It was meant to be more than electoral rhetoric; it was cast as a roadmap for restoring J&K’s full political and constitutional dignity after years of administrative rule following the abrogation of Article 370.
Key Pledges in the Manifesto
The official manifesto document (available on JKNC’s website) lists multiple core themes and specific commitments. Among them:
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Restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A, revocation of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act
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Revival of the Old Pension Scheme
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Release of political prisoners and repeal of Public Safety Act (PSA)
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Creation of one lakh (100,000) jobs
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Dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits
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Free or subsidized measures: free travel for women in public transport, free cylinders (12 cylinders), easing passport procedures
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Stopping “unnecessary harassment” on highways, infrastructure investment
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Empowerment of youth: innovation hubs, entrepreneurship support
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Strengthening governance reforms: police accountability, land and domicile protections, faster justice, transparency
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Re-establishing identity and dignity in administrative systems
In public addresses, Omar Abdullah and the NC leadership repeatedly invoked the urgency of restoring constitutional dignity and reversing years of suspended agency under central rule.
Given the weight of these promises, the electorate entrusted the NC with hope. But the burden of delivery is heavier — and thus the first-year scorecard is under intense scrutiny.
The One Promise Delivered: 69th National School Games
Critics point out that only one promise from this ambitious list — the revival of the 69th National School Games (NSG) in J&K — has been visibly fulfilled. While critics may argue its symbolic nature, it is at least tangible — and thus sets the benchmark against which unmet promises are judged.
What Happened
In early October 2025, the 69th National School Games were inaugurated in Srinagar by CM Omar Abdullah, who ceremonially kicked off the event at the TRC Football Ground. Participation was broad: 30 teams from across India, competing in multiple disciplines like football, wushu, taekwondo, and table tennis, held across six venues.
The local J&K Under-19 football team advanced to the semifinals, adding some local pride to the event. The opening ceremony featured dignitaries: ministers, MLAs, officials from youth services and sports, the director general of youth services, and other stakeholders.
In the public narrative, this event is held up as proof that something is being delivered, that government can organize national events, that youth and identity get attention.
Symbolism & Critique
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Symbolism: Revival of large national-level sports competition signals visibility, youth engagement, and a break from the freeze of the preceding years. For a region long under administrative and security constraints, such spectacle matters for morale and optics.
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Critique: However, critics note its limited long-term impact — one event does not equate to enduring structural reform. It doesn’t generate mass jobs, deliver systemic governance change, or restore constitutional identity. Also, such events are more visible when executed, but their legacy depends on follow-through: sports infrastructure improvement, sustained youth programs, recurrent events.
Thus, while the NSG revival can legitimately be counted as a completed promise, it is a slender victory against the backdrop of far heavier unfulfilled promises.
The Eleven Unfulfilled Promises: Deep Dive into the Gaps
Behind every broken promise lies a gap in politics, policy, capacity, or will. Here are a few of the marquee promises still pending — and what evidence (or lack thereof) suggests about deliverability so far.
1. Restoration of Statehood / Repealing J&K Reorganisation Act / Article 370 & 35A
Perhaps the most existential promise. The manifesto explicitly declared the intention to restore Article 370 and 35A, and to redraw or repeal the J&K Reorganisation Act.
Reality Check & Challenges:
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The NC government has repeatedly demanded statehood. For instance, Omar has written to national parties asking for support to restore full statehood.
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Still, no legislative action at the Centre has come through. The central government has not signalled any willingness to reverse reorganisation.
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Recently, after a firing incident in Ladakh, Omar cautioned that he would not support street protests for statehood, citing risks to youth.
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Analysts note that this promise confronts formidable structural, constitutional, and political barriers. The power to restore Article 370 lies with the Parliament of India; a UT government’s ability is limited to advocacy and lobbying.
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The urgency of the promise makes its non-delivery politically toxic — it is often cited by opposition voices as proof of hypocrisy.
Thus, while the NC government continues to raise the demand, its capacity to deliver is severely constrained — and no tangible progress has been made in structural reversal.
2. Creation of 100,000 (or 50,000) Jobs
Manifesto: large-scale employment generation, youth jobs, entrepreneurship.
Reality Check:
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There is no credible data to suggest the creation of tens of thousands of new permanent jobs in year one.
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No major youth employment act or scheme of the promised scale has been visibly rolled out.
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In public commentary and press, NC leaders tout smaller-scale recruitment or programs, but none approaching manifesto magnitude.
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Critics argue that job creation is the test of governance, and absence of large numbers of jobs means vast potential remains untapped.
3. Youth Innovation Hubs / Startup Ecosystem
Manifesto: establishing Youth Innovation Hubs, support for startups, incubation, infrastructure, connectivity.
Reality Check:
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To date, there is no major public announcement or inauguration of state-level innovation hubs or incubation centres on the scale promised.
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If such hubs exist, their footprint is minimal relative to the aspiration.
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No widely public metrics, funding stamp, or partnerships in the public domain match the manifesto’s ambition.
4. Land Rights, Domicile Protections & Reform
The manifesto pledged reforms in land rights, domicile protections, land ownership rules, and protections for local populace.
Reality Check:
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Land laws in J&K are historically sensitive, especially post-reorganisation. There is no sweeping new legislation yet in the public record to ensure land and domicile protections as promised.
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No major public reforms or amendments have been reported to alter the administrative status quo.
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For many citizens, land and domicile questions remain unsettled, particularly concerning outsiders, land transfers, and real estate development.
5. Police Accountability, Transparency & Judicial Reforms
Manifesto: reforms in policing, accountability, transparency, quicker justice, revisiting security laws.
Reality Check:
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There is no publicly visible, structural police reform law or institution launched (e.g. independent oversight body) so far.
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Transparency mechanisms (e.g. public dashboards, complaint redressal systems) have seen moderate, incremental improvements but nothing transformative.
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Security constraints and entrenched practices, plus the complex security landscape in J&K, make deep reforms difficult in a single year.
6. Release of Political Prisoners / PSA Repeal
The manifesto promised to repeal or review the Public Safety Act (PSA) and release political prisoners.
Reality Check:
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There are reports of selective releases of detainees, but not a wholesale repeal of PSA or large-scale restoration of rights.
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PSA remains in force; no formal abrogation has been done.
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Stakeholders argue that releases are ad hoc, not systematic or institutional.
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The issue continues to be a rallying point for civil liberties advocates who argue that the promise is only partially addressed.
7. Dignified Return of Kashmiri Pandits
Manifesto included commitments to facilitate and support the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
Reality Check:
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Progress is negligible in large-scale resettlement, rehabilitation, or infrastructure to enable return in safe, integrated manner.
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Some small schemes or announcements may exist, but no credible large-scale action matching the promise is visible.
8. Welfare Measures: Free Travel, Cylinders, Public Services
Manifesto: free travel for women in public transport, 12 free cylinders for EWS, easing passport processes, stopping harassment on roads.
Reality Check:
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No widely reported implementation of free transport for women has hit headlines.
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The 12 free cylinders scheme has not been operational or fully publicized.
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Easing of passport or ID verification processes — incremental steps may have been taken — but no comprehensive overhaul or wide-scale relief is visible in daily lives.
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Road harassment, particularly along highways, continues to be a reported grievance.
Mixed Early Steps: What NC Government Claims
To be fair, the NC administration has pointed to a few early actions — some of which correspond to manifesto lines — as partial or foundational steps toward longer-term goals. Critics call them too little, too symbolic, or subscale — but we should assess them in nuance.
Early Resolutions & Symbolic Moves
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In the first month, the NC government touted assembly resolutions on special status and passage of the old academic calendar restoration, plus age relaxation for competitive exams.
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The government also made minimal administrative calibrations in education, reinstating certain exam deadlines, reordering some calendars. (These are largely technical, not structural reforms.)
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NC has repeatedly reissued public statements, letters, and political demands for statehood.
These measures, however, while necessary for credibility, are far from implementation of the heavy promises — they are signalling moves, not delivery moves.
Ground Sentiment: From Hope to Disillusionment
Promises unkept have consequences. On the ground — from Baramulla to Anantnag, Kupwara to Srinagar’s civic quarters — voices of disillusionment are growing louder.
Voices from the Ground
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In Anantnag, a schoolteacher, Rafiqa Bano, captured the mood: “We voted for emotional equity. We got silence.”
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In Kupwara, Baramulla, and parts of South Kashmir, residents express frustration with stalled development, lingering unemployment, and slow governance.
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Social media circles and local conversations echo similar tones — that rhetoric has stayed plentiful, but material change has been sparse.
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Civil society organizations are increasingly demanding accountability — public scorecards, independent evaluations, and scrutiny of progress.
Opposition Critique
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Sajad Gani Lone has called Omar’s tenure “the most failed administration in J&K’s history”, accusing hypocrisy and alignment with BJP interests.
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Congress leaders, once in alliance with NC, have distanced themselves, citing lack of consultation, promises not delivered, and sidelining of allied voices.
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Editorials in regional dailies and opinion pieces decry the disparity between lofty pledges and empty delivery. Greater Kashmir ran an article headlined “CM Omar 2.0 @ 1: Of 12 Major Promises, Only 1 Fulfilled”.
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A “Broken Promises” editorial in Greater Kashmir contextualizes voters’ anger and the erosion of political legitimacy.
Political and Strategic Stakes into Year Two
The first year’s performance is not merely academic; its ripples extend into alliances, power math, electoral plans, and legitimacy.
Trust & Legitimacy Erosion
When campaign promises meet delayed reality, trust frays. If the NC leadership continues to default on its core pledges, its moral authority erodes — especially among disillusioned youth, educated classes, and middle ground voters.
Opposition Gains
The PC, Congress, and other regional actors will exploit the narrative of failure. In a voter base already fatigued by governance deficits, anti-incumbency sentiment is fertile ground.
Alliance Strain
Within alliances (e.g. NC–Congress), unmet promises sow fissures. Allies may feel shortchanged, marginalized, or relied upon for optics but not substance. That could strain future cooperation or bring defections.
Electoral Consequences
If voters perceive the NC as overpromising and underdelivering, midterm momentum could swing toward alternatives. In 2025 or 2026 local or municipal contests, this may manifest as protest votes or shifting loyalties.
Policy vs Political Space Constraints
Some promises (e.g. statehood, reversing constitutional changes) lie outside the UT’s immediate power. That exposes a potential mismatch: grandiose promises but limited structural capacity. That mismatch, if unaddressed, could highlight unrealistic political rhetoric.
Redemption Options
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The NC must pivot to delivering visible, high-impact, moderate-scale victories: job creation, public service delivery, governance reforms in steps.
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Transparent progress reporting — monthly dashboards, third-party audits — will help bridge accountability gaps.
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Prioritization: pick 2–3 promises that are feasible in short to medium term and deliver them convincingly.
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Engage civil society, rural constituencies, youth voices — avoid top-down grand narratives detached from ground realities.
Verdict & Forward Picture
As the curtain falls on year one of Omar 2.0, the contrast between promise and reality is stark. The revival of the National School Games stands as the lone clear success — and a largely symbolic one at that. The weightier promises, especially those tied to identity, constitutional status, jobs, and reforms, remain largely unfulfilled.
This is not yet a verdict of failure — but of a warning. For NC, the path ahead must be one of disciplined, realistic governance, matched by credible delivery and transparent accountability. For the people of J&K, the next year will test whether this government can bridge the aspiration-reality gap or become another footnote of unfulfilled political rhetoric.
One thing is certain: in J&K’s volatile political climate, silence on unmet promises is not golden — it’s combustible. And the people will remember.
