Srinagar/Jammu, Dec 5: The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) for the Kashmir and Jammu regions on Friday conducted a virtual awareness session on the Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS) in association with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) for J&K and Ladakh.
The session was inaugurated by PHDCCI regional chairs A.P. (Vicky) Shaw for Kashmir and Rakesh Wazir for Jammu, who both underlined the importance of strengthening skill development and industry–academia linkages to boost Jammu & Kashmir’s economic growth. They urged industry stakeholders to actively adopt the PM-NAPS framework to help build a skilled workforce.
The online programme saw strong participation from members, industry leaders and business houses from both divisions, reflecting growing interest in leveraging government-backed apprenticeship initiatives.
Advocate Kehkashan Anjum, State Engagement Officer, NSDC for J&K and Ladakh, delivered a detailed presentation outlining the operational structure, benefits and procedural requirements of PM-NAPS. She explained the incentives available for establishments, the ease of apprentice engagement and the steps involved in onboarding onto the scheme.
An interactive Q&A session allowed participants to seek clarifications on eligibility, documentation and implementation challenges. NSDC officials addressed the queries and assured full support to establishments in Jammu & Kashmir in completing their onboarding process on the PM-NAPS portal. They also committed to guiding interested businesses to ensure they can effectively utilise the scheme.
The session concluded with a shared commitment from both PHDCCI and NSDC to organise more such awareness initiatives aimed at strengthening apprenticeship opportunities and preparing a skilled, future-ready workforce in Jammu & Kashmir.
