Stating that the administration is fully committed to youth entrepreneurship and ensuring self-employment opportunities, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that his government has taken many steps to create supportive infrastructure, schemes and policies to speed up economic development of Jammu Kashmir and to meet the aspirations of youth.
Sinha handing over certificates to selected Youth who have availed the facility to start their own business venture on the eve of 74th Republic Day, Sinha here said, “Mission Youth, JKRLM and other government agencies along with J&K Bank is helping thousands of new entrepreneurs to set up businesses.”
The drive during Back to Village and My Town My Pride created a new record enabling 75,000 young entrepreneurs to start a new chapter of their life while celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Lt Governor said during ‘Jan Abhiyan’ event.
During the Back 2 Village-4 and My Town My Pride 2.0 campaign period started by the government from October 27, 2022 and November 28, 2023, banks in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir organized employment generation camps across the length and breadth of the UT with an aim of creating awareness among local youth about various financial schemes and products for establishment, expansion of business units and enterprises.
“Banks were able to set up around 6600 counters and camps during the campaign period in all district of the Jammu and Kashmir including the backward areas of Doda, Rajouri, Reasi, Poonch, Kathua, Kupwara, Shopian, Bandipora, Kulgam and Anantnag,” he stated and said that through these camps about 60,000 loan cases were sourced by banks under various schemes (indigenous/government sponsored) which culminated in providing employment opportunities to around 75000 beneficiaries.
In both the campaigns, Sinha said that beneficiaries have been able to set up business ventures largely under Manufacturing, Services Retail and Wholesale Trade, Transport, Allied agricultural sectors (like poultry, diary, animalhusbandry, fisheriesetc) and Agri Infra.
Aware of its role for upliftment of various socio economic sectors of the UT of J&K and Living up to the expectations of Govt of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lt Governor said, “J&K Bank has been the largest contributor in providing credit to unemployed youth including women during the campaign period. J&K bank organized setting up of around 2627counters and camps in backward districts of Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Bandipore, Kupwara and Kulgam.”
Sinha said, “Besides, to empower and encourage women a notable number of the women entrepreneurs, comprising around 15 percent of the total number of persons benefitted, were covered during the campaign period. Major activities for women beneficiaries included Handicrafts, Retail Trading, Artisan activities like crewel, Embroidery etc., Allied agri activities,
Computerized Desk top publishing, Cyber Café, Beauty Parlour, Boutique/ Tailoring, Training Institute, Manufacturing and services.”
“I salute the hard work of all our youth who have helped build a new Jammu Kashmir. Administration will ensure aspirations, creativity and enterprise of every youth are realized and they are empowered. We have been steadfast in our resolve to provide self-employment opportunity to youth and last year under PMEGP, the Jammu Kashmir was ranked as top performer in the country for setting up maximum units and generating maximum employment opportunities,” the Lt Governor said.
