Srinagar, April 29 -- Jammu & Kashmir's economic outlook for 2024-25 looks optimistic on paper. With real GSDP projected to grow at 7.06%, and nominal figures expected to climb over 11%, the region seemingly signals a return to macroeconomic stability.

The per capita income, too, is set to rise by 10.6%, crossing Rs.1.54 lakh. These numbers, tabled in the latest Economic Survey by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, make for confident headlines. But they don't convey the discomfort beneath this so-called recovery. Despite the outward sheen of economic progress, the lived reality for many in J&K remains unchanged.

Growth, by its very definition, must be inclusive. Yet in this case, the figures orbit high above the households they claim to upli...