The 18th meeting of the Governing body of Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) was held here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, B R Sharma.While reviewing the progress of the Institute, the Chief Secretary said that JKEDI has been created to increase employability and enhance entrepreneurial skills among youth of the state. He added that focus on skill development is also required to be increased so that futuristic need of skilled manpower could also be met.Director JKEDI, Dr. M.I. Parray briefed the meeting about the progress and performance of the Institute. He said during the financial years 2014-15 and 2015-16 (till 31.12.2015), the institute has organised 866 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes (EAPs), 175 Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs) and 12 Entrepreneurship Orientation Programmes (EOPs).
He said under Seed Capital Fund Scheme the institute has been able to facilitate the establishment of 4036 units till ending December 2015 covering 4189 beneficiaries.Under the Youth Start-up Loan Scheme, the Institute has, since June 2012 till December 31, 2015 facilitated the establishment of 653 enterprises.The Governing Body meeting also reviewed the progress under Term Loan and Education Loan Schemes of NMDFC, Himayat Self-Employment Scheme, progress under 10 Handicraft based clusters in and around Srinagar, Conduct of Vocational Training Programmes (VTPs) under NMDFC and institution of Annual Awards to the Entrepreneurs.Other issues including establishment of EDI campus in Jammu, augmentation of training facilities at JKEDI, Pampore and establishment of Centre for Incubation and Business Acceleration (CIBA) at JKEDI, Pampore were also examined in the governing body meeting.
Action Taken Report on the decisions taken in the 17th Governing Body Meeting was also reviewed in the Meeting. Commissioner Secretary Finance, Navin Kumar Choudhary, Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, Shailendra Kumar, Commissioner Secretary, Technical Education, Youth Services & Sports, Hirdesh Kumar, Commissioner Secretary Agriculture Production, M.A. Bukhari, Secretary Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Khurshid Ahmad besides representatives of JK Bank and National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board were also present in the meeting.