*Reviews implementation of Mission Yuva
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 8: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today held a detailed meeting with the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) that arrived in the Union Territory to assess the damages caused by the recent floods.
While no casualties were reported in the Kashmir Valley, the mountainous districts were deeply affected by flash floods, leading to the loss of human lives and extensive damage to public assets. The agriculture and horticulture sectors have also suffered heavy losses, with vast stretches of paddy fields and apple orchards bearing the brunt.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary made a strong pitch for immediate central assistance to restore vital infrastructure such as power supply lines, water supply schemes, schools, roads, bridges and other public utilities.
He underscored the need of a comprehensive safety audit of critical public infrastructure, particularly schools, healthcare facilities, bridges and roads, to ensure their resilience for their utility for continuous public use.
The Chief Secretary also sought special relief for farmers whose crops or agricultural lands were damaged due to the floods.
He proposed that the Central Government bear the farmers’ share of premium too under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) so that the affected growers can avail insurance cover for their crop losses.
Highlighting the issue of connectivity, he pressed for immediate directives to central road agencies to undertake swift restoration of damaged roads and support new connectivity projects in flood-hit districts that remain cut off.
The Chief Secretary later took note of the restoration measures taken in Jammu division. He took detailed appraisal first from Divisional Commissioner Jammu and then enquired from each Deputy Commissioner about the status of essential amenities there along with relief and rehabilitation measures initiated to bring respite to the locals in terms of connectivity, power, water and other public infrastructure.
The IMCT has already visited several worst-affected areas of Jammu region, which has borne the maximum brunt of the recent floods and landslides. Over the past month, inclement weather has left J&K reeling, with around 150 people losing their lives and key roads, including the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, frequently blocked, thereby affecting the movement of traffic on these roads here.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary chaired the Apex Level Committee meeting of Mission YUVA in Jammu, during which the progress of the mission was comprehensively reviewed and key directions were issued to further accelerate its implementation across the Union Territory.
Reviewing the mission’s performance, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance of targeting specific potential groups such as college students, Self Help Group members (especially Lakhpati Didis), Vishwakarma-sponsored artisans, and existing nano-enterprises for their upgradation.
He directed departments to ensure that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are meticulously prepared to minimize the risk of business failure and stressed the need for continuous capacity building of applicants. He also emphasized hiring skilled manpower for the Project Management Unit (PMU) to ensure professional execution of the mission.
Calling upon banks to clear existing pendencies at the earliest, he urged them to play a proactive role in assisting applicants in DPR preparation, noting that the quality of DPRs is pivotal in translating ideas into sustainable enterprises.
He further asked financial institutions and departments to fast-track sanctioning and disbursement of loans so that eligible youth do not face delays in setting up their ventures.
Expressing satisfaction over the progress achieved so far, the Chief Secretary directed all stakeholders to work in synergy to scale up the mission’s outreach and impact.
Principal Secretary, Finance, Santosh D. Vaidya, in his remarks, underlined that the programme’s success hinges on three pillars including that of skilling of youth, financial support through banks, and strong market linkages. He stressed leveraging existing institutional mechanisms to ensure the goals remain practical and achievable.
Director, IIM Jammu, highlighted the need for a year-long activity calendar for capacity building of stakeholders, with timely listing of training topics and resource persons from reputed institutions.
Presenting the progress report, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, informed that Mission YUVA has so far received 42,334 applications including 36,951 for nano enterprises, 1,557 for new MSMEs, and 210 from existing MSMEs.
The average project cost, supported under the scheme, was said to stand at Rs 6.3 lakh, with banks sanctioning projects worth Rs 264.47 cr, disbursing Rs 133.46 cr, and subsidies worth Rs 23.18 cr claimed so far.
Later, the Chief Secretary reviewed the live YUVA Dashboard, assessing district-wise performance on applications, credit flow, DPR generation, and youth skilling activities across blocks and municipal areas. He also reviewed the status of DLIC clearances, pendencies at banks, and the impact of Udyam Jagriti sessions being conducted across J&K.
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