46 New Industrial Estates on Fast Track, Says Omar Abdullah

By
Ziraat Times
-

Follow Ziraat Times on Whatsapp - Join Now

Ziraat Times News Service

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday directed the Industries & Commerce Department to adopt a more proactive approach to strengthen Jammu and Kashmir’s industrial ecosystem, with a sharper focus on jobs, sustainability, and competitiveness.

Chairing a high-level review meeting at Srinagar, the Chief Minister called for timely handholding of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that are stressed but potentially revivable with minimal government intervention. “Such units can generate significant employment if supported in time,” he noted.

Expressing concern over slow progress under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and the Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP), Omar Abdullah asked the department to at least match last year’s achievements. He also reviewed the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS), assessing claim-wise progress and urging the department to meet its investment targets.

The Chief Minister directed officials to prioritize industries linked to locally available raw material or markets for finished products. He also pressed for an early review of land policy in industrial estates, stressing that land allotted but held up in procedural delays must be transferred swiftly. He called for expedited development of 46 new industrial estates and upgradation of existing ones to ensure productive land use.

On improving the business climate, Omar Abdullah asked the department to go beyond national Ease of Doing Business benchmarks and create policies that uniquely position J&K in light of the new GST slabs. He further instructed structured feedback from industries applying under the Single Window Clearance system to identify operational gaps.

Addressing handicrafts, the Chief Minister said that GI (Geographical Indication) certification testing facilities must be strengthened to support artisans and protect the credibility of Kashmir’s craft sector. “Industrial development in J&K must not only attract investment but also ensure it translates into jobs, livelihoods, and sustainable growth for our youth and artisans,” he said.

Earlier, Commissioner Secretary Industries & Commerce Vikramjit Singh presented the department’s performance. He reported that J&K achieved an investment realization of ₹4,145 crore in FY 2024–25—nearly ten times the pre-2021 average—while projects worth ₹4,001 crore have already been grounded this fiscal, creating over 5,100 formal sector jobs.

The presentation highlighted that MSMEs contribute 8% to J&K’s GDP and employ nearly 10.9 lakh people, including 15% women. Support measures such as the MSME Health Clinic, Udyam registration drives across 4,914 blocks, and RAMP capacity-building initiatives were also reviewed.

On startups, Singh informed that registrations have risen from 69 in 2020 to 1,127 in 2025, with a growing tilt towards technology and services. A Startup Summit, in collaboration with Startup India, MEITY, and SIDBI, will be held in Srinagar in October.

Officials also briefed that 4.39 lakh artisans are registered across J&K, exports have more than doubled to ₹1,163 crore in 2023–24, and Srinagar has earned the twin recognition of World Crafts City by the World Crafts Council and inclusion in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. A QR-based certification mechanism for crafts has also been introduced.

The review meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to CM Dheeraj Gupta, and senior officials of the Industries & Commerce Department.

126 COMMENTS

  44. Viagra generico con pagamento sicuro Viagra generico con pagamento sicuro or pillole per disfunzione erettile pillole per disfunzione erettile
    http://igrab.me/share-email.php?url=https://mediuomo.com farmaci per potenza maschile and https://exhibitioncourthotel4.co.uk/user-2/ovnhkktafg/?um_action=edit farmaci per potenza maschile
    pillole per disfunzione erettile Viagra generico online Italia or Viagra generico con pagamento sicuro Viagra generico con pagamento sicuro

  66. best Irish pharmacy websites online pharmacy and irishpharmafinder Irish online pharmacy reviews
    https://creativecommons.org/choose/results-one?q_1=2&q_1=1&field_commercial=n&field_derivatives=sa&field_jurisdiction=&field_format=Text&field_worktitle=Blog&field_attribute_to_name=Lam+HUA&field_attribute_to_url=http://pharmaexpressfrance.com pharmacy delivery Ireland and https://501tracking.com/user/vylkbjgbxo/?um_action=edit trusted online pharmacy Ireland
    online pharmacy ireland trusted online pharmacy Ireland and buy medicine online legally Ireland online pharmacy ireland

Leave a Reply to LarryAxoft Cancel reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here