Commissioner Secretary, Labour and Employment, Saurabh Bhagat today said that Jammu and Kashmir Government was focused to promote the innovative startups—asserting that several schemes have been rolled out for the benefit of the budding entrepreneurs of the Himalayan region.
This he said while chairing the 123rd Steering Committee meeting of Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) here today.
Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) GM Dar, Director Employment, YP Sumon, Vice-President, J&K Bank, Peer Masood Ahmad Chishti, District Nodal Officers of JKEDI from Kashmir division, scores of sectoral experts from all the line departments attended the meeting.
The Commissioner Secretary said that Government has rolled out many ambitious schemes for the benefit of the budding entrepreneurs—which has complete handholding from the beginning to the end.
During the meeting 232 cases of aspiring entrepreneurs sponsored by Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) under Seed Capital Fund Scheme (SCFS) and Youth Startup Loan Scheme (YSLS) were approved by the Steering Committee—out of which 222 are being sponsored under SCFS and 10 cases from YSLS. The estimated project cost is nearly Rs. 33 crore.
Most of the cases of the aspirants hailing from remote areas of Kashmir division were approved so that they are able to start their ventures and earn livelihood.
During the meeting, it was decided that emphasis shall be laid to encourage women to start their entrepreneurial ventures, besides focus shall also be laid on High Employment Potential Sectors (HEPS) as well as Agricultural and allied activities, Tourism under the Seed Capital Fund Scheme and Youth Startup Loan Scheme being implemented by JKEDI.
Bhagat stressed the officials of the JKEDI to encourage entrepreneurs with some innovative ideas.
He said that the meeting should be held after every two months—in which officials and the district officers of EDI should introspect on roping in innovative projects. He directed that a descending order of the Innovative projects should be generated separately.
Bhagat said that Innovative Clusters should be identified—which would be given all the benefits of the several Government-run schemes under one-roof.