Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary today called for infusing greater vibrancy into the Jammu and Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) to generate sustainable employment opportunities and strengthen the Union Territory’s economic landscape.
The Deputy Chief Minister made these remarks while chairing a comprehensive review meeting regarding functioning of KVIB at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar. During the meeting, he reviewed the progress achieved under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Employment Generation Programme (JKREGP) besides assessing establishment of units under both schemes during the current financial year.
Emphasizing the need for wider outreach, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the Board to launch an extensive awareness campaign through all available mediums, including social media platforms, to ensure maximum participation of the aspiring entrepreneurs under these schemes.
He stressed the importance of organizing awareness camps in schools, colleges and rural areas across Jammu and Kashmir so that people, especially youth and women, are fully informed about the benefits and opportunities available under various self-employment initiatives.
The Deputy Chief Minister instructed the officials to involve local public representatives in these awareness programmes and ensure their participation in outreach camps to strengthen the public engagement and awareness at the grassroots level. Calling for institutional reforms, he urged the Board to revamp its functioning by implementing tangible and result-oriented measures aimed at improving the efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
“Our objective is to create employment opportunities and economic resources for the people who are willing to work, become self-reliant and emerge as job providers rather than job seekers,” the Deputy Chief Minister said. He directed the officers and employees to maintain the highest standards of transparency and accountability to ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach the deserving beneficiaries effectively and without delay.
The Deputy Chief Minister also emphasized the need for adopting best practices from successful implementation models in other regions to enhance the effectiveness and impact of KVIB programmes. Special focus was laid on ensuring greater participation of women in entrepreneurship and self-employment initiatives, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to economic development and financial empowerment.
The meeting also reviewed the functioning and progress of Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) Clusters, with directions issued for their further strengthening to support the traditional industries, artisans and rural enterprises.
Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, Vikramjit Singh and other senior officers of Khadi and Village Industries Board and other concerned departments were present during the meeting.