CS calls for faster assessment, revival of stressed MSMEs across J&K

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar, August 7: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday called for expediting the assessment and revival of stressed Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Jammu & Kashmir, directing officials to strengthen district-level support mechanisms and ensure timely implementation of rehabilitation plans.

Dulloo issued the directions while chairing a comprehensive review meeting on the functioning of the J&K MSME Health Clinic, a digital initiative aimed at assessing the health of MSMEs, identifying vulnerable units and facilitating targeted interventions for their revival.

The meeting reviewed the progress of the initiative, including registration and assessment of industrial units, capacity-building of officials and the rehabilitation of enterprises identified as stressed or vulnerable.

The Chief Secretary directed the Industries & Commerce Department to strengthen the Small Business Development Units (SBDUs) operating across districts by providing them with dedicated human resources or inducting representatives from other stakeholder departments wherever required.

He also called for regular capacity-building programmes through IIM Jammu for SBDU members across all districts to ensure professional and quality assessment of industrial units.

Dulloo directed the SBDUs to analyse health assessment reports of MSMEs and closely monitor the implementation of recommendations emerging from these assessments so that stressed enterprises receive timely support.

Seeking a substantial increase in the pace of assessments, he called for adoption of a hybrid mechanism involving both physical and virtual visits to industrial units.

The Chief Secretary also asked the Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department, to consult J&K Bank on mechanisms for restructuring loans of sick MSMEs based on recommendations emerging from the Health Clinic assessments.

Over one lakh MSMEs registered

Giving an overview of the programme, Director Industries, Jammu, Arun Manhas said 1,00,371 MSMEs had so far been registered on the MSME Health Clinic portal, while 73,907 units had undergone analytical assessment by BISAG.

Of the assessed enterprises, 68,218 units, or 92.3 per cent, were categorised as stable, while 5,689 units, or 7.7 per cent, were identified as recoverable or vulnerable to sickness and requiring focused handholding and rehabilitation support.

The meeting was informed that J&K Bank had already accessed a database containing nearly 2.97 lakh MSMEs. BISAG is expected to analyse the database over the next two weeks, potentially expanding the coverage of the Health Clinic programme substantially.

338 virtual interactions, 117 field visits

The meeting was also informed that IIM Jammu had conducted 338 virtual interactions and 117 field visits with MSMEs. These engagements resulted in the preparation of 34 rehabilitation reports, all of which have been approved by the respective District Level Approval Committees (DLACs).

Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh said the MSME Health Clinic had emerged as an important platform for distinguishing financially stable enterprises from units requiring rehabilitation, enabling evidence-based interventions to strengthen J&K’s industrial ecosystem.

He also briefed the meeting on the action taken on directions issued during the previous review.

An interactive chatbot has been integrated into the MSME Health Clinic portal, while its upgraded version has been shared with IIM Jammu for further refinement.

District-level training programmes have also been completed across both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, with trained personnel now available in all 20 districts to support Health Clinic operations.

The system has additionally been strengthened for faster issuance of health certificates, with around 15,000 stability certificates already issued to MSMEs.

Dulloo stressed that early diagnosis and timely intervention were critical for preventing viable enterprises from slipping into sickness. He directed officials to intensify registration on the Health Clinic portal, complete assessments of eligible MSMEs at a faster pace and ensure prompt preparation and implementation of rehabilitation plans.

He said timely revival support could improve the sustainability, productivity and competitiveness of MSMEs, while also contributing to industrial growth and employment generation across Jammu & Kashmir.

The Chief Secretary further called for close coordination among the Industries & Commerce Department, J&K Bank, BISAG, IIM Jammu and other stakeholder institutions to ensure seamless implementation of the programme and effective delivery of support to entrepreneurs.