Srinagar
Three Hundred and Forty-One (341) cases of aspiring entrepreneurs sponsored by Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) under different schemes were approved by the Steering Committee which met here on Wednesday.
The 120th Steering Committee meeting of Seed Capital Fund Scheme (SCFS) and the 64th meeting of Youth Startup Loan Scheme (YSLS) were held under the Chairmanship of Saurabh Bhagat, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary, Labour & Employment Department here at Centre for Women Entrepreneurship, Kashmir (CWE-K), Press Enclave.
Those who participated in the meeting were Tufail Matto, Director JKEDI, Y P Suman, Director Employment Department, Mr. Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Additional Secretary Labour & Employment, Shahid Mehmood, Joint Director Employment (Kashmir), Muhammad Maqbool, President (CBO), J&K Bank, Muhammad Rafeeq, Assistant Director (Central) and Dr Majid Manzoor Khan, Chief Faculty JKEDI.
A total of 341 cases including 60 from the agri-allied sector, 11 from the manufacturing sector and 270 from the services sector were approved by the committee. Out of 271 cases placed before the Committee, 270 cases were approved under the Seed Capital Fund Scheme (SCFS) while 71 cases were approved under the Youth Startup Loan Scheme (YSLS).
Manufacturing of cricket balls, sanitary pads were some of the innovative cases approved by the committee. Most of the cases of the aspirants hailing from remote areas of Kashmir division were approved so that they are able to start their ventures and earn a livelihood.
The meeting stressed over supporting innovative business ideas related to tourism, handicrafts and handlooms, High Employment Potential Sectors (HEPS) like Agricultural and allied activities under the schemes being implemented by JKEDI.
Besides more emphasis shall be laid to encourage women to start their entrepreneurial ventures. During the meeting, Mr. Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner/Secretary, Labour & Employment stressed that focus should be on the quality of units established so that it helps the State economy in the long run. Director JKEDI, Tufail Matto assured the chairman that JKEDI shall extend the ambit of its schemes to help the establishment of innovative business enterprises in the state.
The next Steering Committee meeting shall convene within a fortnight.
