Srinagar: Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam Monday asked the J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) to take urgent tangible measures for wideninggeographical coverage of its schemes with focus on promoting more viable agri-businesses, food processing and handicraft sectors.
“JKEDI shouldn’t limit its entrepreneurship development programs to urban areas only, but should extend the geographical reach of its schemes by encouraging entrepreneurs in rural areas of the State as well, who have limited exposure to various investment avenues,” Chief Secretary said while speaking at the 21st Governing Body meeting of JKEDI here this afternoon.
Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary, Principal Secretary Planning, Development & Monitoring, Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Industries & Commerce, Shailendra Kumar, Commissioner Secretary, Labour & Employment, Saurav Bhagat, Secretary, Technical Education, AK Sahu, Secretary, Agriculture Production & Horticulture, Manzoor Ahmad Lone, Director JKEDI, Mohammad Ismail Parray and other concerned officers were present at the meeting.
Chief Secretary asked JKEDI to channelize investment in more viable and sustainable sunrise sectors like food processing, horticulture, tourism, hospitality, IT/ITeS (information technology enabled services) and handicrafts which have tremendous potential in the State.
“Constant flow of investment in such sectors is imperative to bring about sustainable growth, development, jobs and socio-economic transformation in the State,” he said and added that increasing production capacity in such vital sectors through constant flow of investment holds ample entrepreneurial potential for the local youth. “Besides, access to finance must be made easy so that the budding entrepreneurs can bring in continuous innovation and adopt aggressive marketing strategies to increase their target market size,” he said.
To work out a roadmap for augmenting investment in these key sectors by JKEDI, Chief Secretary directed for constitution of a high-level official panel with Administrative Secretaries of Finance, Industries & Commerce, Agriculture Production, Horticulture, Animal & Sheep Husbandry and Labour & Employment Departments and JKEDI as Members. He said the Committee will submit its report by November 30 this year.
Chief Secretary also asked JKEDI to conduct regular awareness programs in the Polytechnics and ITIs of the State which are the potential grooming institutions for budding entrepreneurs.
In a significant decision aimed at putting in place an effective monitoring mechanism in JKEDI, the Governing Body approved creation of one post each of Executive Director and Financial Advisor/CAO who shall be always deputed to the Institute by the State Government.
The Governing Body also discussed in detail various proposals placed before it including construction of dedicated JKEDI campuses at Bari Barahmana, Jammu and Leh, Ladakh. A holistic review of various schemes implemented by JKEDI was also taken by the Governing Body.
Director JKEDI, Dr M I Parray briefed the Governing Body about the progress and performance of the Institute for the financial year 2018-19. Action taken report on the decisions taken in the 20thGoverning Body Meeting was also reviewed.
