Over 94,000 youths provided self-employment opportunities in a day: J-K administration

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir administration provided entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities to 94,680 youngsters in a single day on Wednesday, officials said. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir has created a new record by distributing sanction letters for setting up new units and start-ups that will fulfil the dreams of the youth of being job creators and not job seekers.

Sinha, who was presiding over a function here, congratulated the Jammu Kashmir Bank for "strengthening" the spirit of Ghar Ghar KCC Abhiyaan and Swarozgar Utsav – two ongoing campaigns aimed at financial empowerment of farmers and the youth.

"Today, J&K creates a new record by distributing sanction letters to set up new units and startups that will fulfil the dream of youths and their aspirations of being job creators and not job seekers," the Lt Governor said. This also marks a significant leap forward in transforming the UT's economic landscape, he added.

He said the Swarozgar Utsav will provide Rs 1,384 crore for setting up new units and startups. We will provide training and infrastructure to create sustainable employment for the youth in these units, he said. Under the Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan, about 2 lakh farmers were provided with Kisan Credit Cards to ensure they have access to reliable, adequate and affordable credit, he said.

"I see a new revolution is underway in the agriculture and allied sector that will construct new pathways for the prosperity of Jammu Kashmir," the Lt Governor said. Sinha felicitated entrepreneurs and farmers financed by the J&K Bank and also launched the Kisan Sathi Chatbot, an AI-based "farmer-friendly" application of the Agriculture Production Department. The J&K Bank has also contributed Rs 40.27 lakh under its CSR initiative for the chatbot.