Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 8 : Referring to the huge potential of micro, small and medium enterprises in employment generation, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today sought greater financial support and technical knowhow from the Centre in revitalizing the State’s industrial sector.
She also highlighted the predicament of the people of J&K, who, she said become the first casualty of any hostile environment between India and Pakistan. She said only sustained peace in the region can allow her Government to resuscitate the State’s financial health by reviving core sectors of economy, including small scale industries. “Since partition, Kashmir, the paradise on earth, has been caught in a web of violence. This has adversely affected our economy and prevented our State from realizing its full potential,” she stated.
The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering, after jointly inaugurating the first-ever National Khadi Exhibition with Union MSME Minister, Kalraj Mishra, here today.
Minister for I&C, Chander Parkash, Legislators, Anjum Fazili and Ramesh Arora, Chairman, KVIC, V. K. Saxena and Secretary MSME. K. K. Jalan, were also present on the occasion.
Reflecting upon India’s relations with Pakistan and former Prime Minister, A. B. Vajpayee’s efforts in ending years of deadlock, the Chief Minister said her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, made a historic beginning in 2003 to bring Kashmir out of the quagmire of violence. She said during his first tenure as Chief Minister, peace returned on borders and India and Pakistan talked business for the very first time.
“When the bus carrying visitors from across the LoC arrived here from Muzaffarabad, people could not believe the unfolding of a new era of peace and stability in the region. Unfortunately, that peace initiative was not taken forward,” she lamented.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the efforts made to revive the cross-LoC trade at Chakan da Bagh, in Poonch and Salamabad, in Uri, Baramulla, by navigating to the banking system of operation from barter trade. She also spoke about broadening the scope of LoC commerce by incorporating more tradable items in the approved list as well as opening additional crossing points to boost travel across the LoC.
Seeking Centre’s support in promotion of famed handicrafts of the State, Mehbooba Mufti vouched for cluster approach for which, she said detailed discussions have been held with the Union Minister. She urged Kalraj Mishra to pay special attention towards this sector, which has a huge export market overseas.
The MSME Minister, in his address, said the khadi exhibition will help young industrialists to find buyers for their products. He said the Union Government will extend all possible help to the young entrepreneurs in the State and also referred to his meeting with the Chief Minister in which issues of skill development and promotion of MSME sector were discussed in detail.
After inaugurating the exhibition, the Chief Minister, along with the Union Minister, went around the stalls and interacted with the entrepreneurs, particularly inquiring about the marketing and institutional support extended to them.
Earlier, Union Minister for MSME, Kalraj Mishra, called on Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, at her residence and discussed wide-ranging issues relating to ease of doing business for micro, small and medium enterprises in the State.
The Chief Minister discussed with Kalraj Mishra the need for enhancement of target under PMEGP (Prime Minister’s Employment Guarantee Programme) from 1500 to 4000. She said the credit-linked scheme is quite popular in rural areas and increase in target will enable more entrepreneurs to establish self-sustaining industrial units.
The Union Minister assured Mehbooba Mufti of early action in the matter. He said a proposal for setting up a national-level MSME University is in its advanced stage and once it becomes functional, skill development courses will be imparted to prospective entrepreneurs, including those from Jammu & Kashmir.
Mehbooba Mufti also raised the issue of setting up a Technology Centre, on the pattern of PPDC Meerut, for promotion of cricket bat industry in Anantnag. She indicated the possibility of establishing the Centre under ‘Cluster Development Programme’, which she said will provide much-needed technical knowhow on value additions, enabling the manufacturers to produce finished cricket bats.
Mehbooba Mufti also urged the Union Minister to expedite clearance of 37 identified clusters for village industry like crewel, sozni, namda, gabba, chain-stitch, silk reeling, willow wicker and honey processing. She also pitched for an Electronic Service & Training Centre in the State to help in transfer of technology in assembly and manufacture of electronic items and parts for young entrepreneurs.
A proposal for establishing rice cluster at Jammu and Papier Machie at Srinagar has also been submitted to MoMSME. The Central Ministry is in the process of simplification of procedure for availing sanctions under Cluster Development Programme.
Mehbooba Mufti also highlighted the need for broadening the scope of ‘SFURTI’ (Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries) in J&K, which aims at making traditional industries like hand-spun, hand-woven and silk varieties more productive and competitive.
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