Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 6: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired a meeting to review the district-wise performance of Mission YUVA across Jammu and Kashmir, assessing progress on key parameters of Culture, Capital, Capacity and Connectivity aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and employment generation among the youth.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism; Vice Chancellors of Universities; Director, IIM Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, Planning; Secretary, Labour & Employment; DG, Codes; Managing Director, JKRLM; Director, Employment; Director, Colleges; Convenor, UTLBC and other concerned officers.
Deputy Commissioners participated in the meeting through video conferencing from their respective districts.
The meeting reviewed the status of awareness initiatives under Udyam Jagriti 4.0, establishment of institutional mechanisms including Project Management Units (PMUs), Small Business Development Units (SBDUs), Business Help Desks (BHDs) and engagement of Motivators and Yuva Doots. Progress regarding application processing, loan sanctioning, enterprise incubation and ecosystem development under the Mission was also assessed.
Taking note of the progress achieved so far, the Chief Secretary impressed upon the Deputy Commissioners to take earnest steps towards completing the institutional framework in their districts. He directed them to ensure that SBDUs and BHDs become fully functional at the earliest and that Motivators and Yuva Doots are onboarded in a time-bound manner to ensure effective implementation of the Mission across the Union Territory.
Emphasising the need to expand outreach, the Chief Secretary asked the concerned departments to further intensify Udyam Jagriti initiatives in colleges and among Self Help Groups (SHGs). He stressed that aspiring entrepreneurs should receive proper mentoring, counselling and handholding support so that they are able to translate their ideas into viable enterprises.
Reviewing the role of financial institutions in supporting the Mission, the Chief Secretary observed that loan sanctions amounting to around Rs 1,200 crore and disbursements of nearly Rs 964 crore indicate encouraging progress. However, he advised the banks to maintain a steady pace of 150-200 loan disbursements per day so that legacy pendencies are cleared and annual targets under the Mission are achieved in a timely manner.
He also emphasised the importance of periodic review and output tracking of enterprises established through these loans, so that their progress is closely monitored and necessary guidance is provided to ensure the sustainability and success of these ventures.
The Chief Secretary further underscored the need to address gaps identified in incubation centres established in higher educational institutions. He asked the concerned department to share the detailed assessment criteria used for evaluating these institutions so that corrective measures can be taken to strengthen the incubation ecosystem and ensure optimal utilisation of the facilities.
Additionally, he advised the Deputy Commissioners to encourage local businesses and enterprises to onboard themselves on the ONDC seller platform, enabling them to expand market access, promote their products and strengthen their businesses through digital commerce.
Earlier, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, in his detailed presentation, highlighted the district-wise status of Mission YUVA implementation across Jammu and Kashmir.
While reviewing the overall progress, the Chief Secretary emphasised that Mission YUVA is a transformative initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship, generating employment opportunities and building a vibrant start-up ecosystem for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. He called upon all stakeholders to work in close coordination to achieve the objectives of the Mission in a time-bound manner.
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