The J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board vice-chairman, Mansoor Hussain Suhrawardy today said the Government is committed to provide dignified employment to the State youth. Speaking at a one-day workshop on schemes and programs being implemented by Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) organized at Government College of Education, Mansoor said the Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is running many schemes to nurture a culture of entrepreneurship among the State youth.“About 70 percent of J&K’s population comprises of youth who will be the driving force of our political and economic stability in coming years. They should not only get dignified employment but also be encouraged to set up enterprises which will provide employment to others and boost the economy of the State,” he said.
The KVIB vice-chairman, who was the ‘Chief Guest’, said the young female population of Jammu and Kashmir will be encouraged to avail the benefits of KVIB schemes under which they can set up various businesses including boutiques and salons which will help in employment generation, “I assure them that their cases will be taken up on priority,” he said. Mansoor said the KVIB is focused on providing employment with dignity to the rural youth. “When we find that a young entrepreneur, whose enterprise is nourished by different schemes, has become successful, we must provide him more economic support for expansion instead of simply ending the contract after repayment of his loan,” he said.
Mansoor said the Board is mulling to revise per unit cost from Rs 25 lakh, which was fixed in the 1990s, to Rs 60 lakh per unit, keeping in view the inflation and other trends.We are also planning to adopt bee-keeping units with the flow of more resources from the Centre. KVIB is going to be a game-changer in coming years in J&K,” he added. The Board vice-chairman said there is no dearth of funds and more than 4100 units are targeted to be set up in the State this year at a cost of Rs 82 crore. The inaugural function of the workshop was also attended by Secretary KVIB, Rashid Ahmad Qadri, board members of KVIB and officers of the State government. Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Rouf Ahmad, who was invited as the Guest of Honor, said the business chambers will extend every possible support to make the schemes of KVIB a success. He suggested the KVIB should organize awareness camps on the schemes run by the board at college and university levels so that the educated youth can avail their benefits.