Syed Mustafa Ahmad
In the present India, when it comes to startups or enterprises, our eyes fall on the cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, etc., because all the resources, amenities, infrastructure, communication, innovation and startup culture is made available for the process. It is true to a large extent. But it is not a total reality at all. Startups can be initiated anytime, anywhere. The only condition is that the above mentioned resources and technologies should be available round the process. It has been seen that the nations or countries or states with the greatest needs, come out the biggest opportunities. They utilize everything which is available at their disposal to come out winning. They strain their every nerve to become the masters. They work tirelessly and find ways to come out of the quagmire, and stand aloof from others. Kashmir valley has been witnessing a turmoil and a conflict since 1990. It is because of this that the regional growth and development process has been hampered to a large extent. It is a fact that it is difficult to set up industries here owing to it’s geographical location and other factors, the role of local, micro, small-scale and traditional industries should not have been overlooked. There should have been a local approach towards the equipment of industries. This disputed nature has not only reduced the financial aid to boast industrialization and business expansion but, at the present, has made it difficult to start other enterprises. There is no environment of entrepreneurship. The environment is the backbone of any startup. The main thing is missing in this part of the world. It may be conscious or unconscious moves to keep the this pot boiling. It is a buffer zone. Despite lagging behind in entrepreneurship, the youth of today are optimistic. The information revolution has made it possible for us to know at the other side of the coin as well. As said earlier, the nations come out winning in the harshest of times.The responsibility has been thrown at us. We can create or destroy this land of brotherhood. Everything is present. The resources are at our disposal. The need is to dust off. With a new mindset, we can change a lot. The change of mindset leaves the permanent mark on the ground. The number of startup initiatives by the enthusiastic youth of Kashmir, is not enough or impressive, but the startup journeys are visible. The youth of today can understand that if the nations that were reduced to the ground, could rise again and start from the scratch, why can’t we. The startups initiated by the IIED Centre and NIT Srinagar, are impressive or worth mentioning. The Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre ( IIEDC) ever since it came into existence, has with its limited resources at disposal been in the forefront in creating awareness around the need and significance of the three important aspects of startup activities: Innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship. The Centre has in a very short span of time not only created the right voice within the NIT Campus, but also started actively engaging with other key entities like government organisations, voluntary organizations, universities, etc. Working to promote skill development and startup culture in the valley. This mindset of startups has created an atmosphere of finding a world of your own. Only government jobs are not the most priority of the present time, but to come with new innovative perspectives, to become self-sufficient, to set an example for others and to help to build the economy of the very that is shattered by the every now and then upsurge. As we know, the majority of population is engaged in agriculture and its allied sectors.
There is a broad consensus that the future belongs to those who are innovative and self-reliant. We can be among them. We should look at the opportunities. We can’t go on losing our generation in conflicts. The need of the hour is to find solutions to the problems, particularly in entrepreneurship, so that we can come out with flying colors. Let us pledge to walk hand in hand to make our valley a real Paradise, where no one begs and weeps for a morsel of food.
Apart from this, the tourism is the backbone of our economy. But due to some unavoidable circumstances, it is going through the difficulty times. So, the eyes fell upon agriculture and its allied sectors. The situation is not so good there but there is some hope. As we have China in front of us, the farmers of China are in a position to do vertical farming. All the people there are self-sufficient. They are going to become the largest economy of the world in the near future due to focus on agriculture. They take it a duty to serve the Earth, which nurtures us. We are not an exception. Agriculture is the predominant sector in the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. Directly or indirectly, it supports about 80% of the population besides contributing nearly 60% of the state revenue and contributes nearly 27% to State Gross Product, which adequately explains the over dependency of the population on agriculture. The allied sectors like Horticulture, Floriculture, Sericulture, Animal Husbandry, etc., are also valuable. Recently, the first Start Up Task Force meeting was held under the chairmanship of Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, M.K. Dwivedi. The minister sanctioned Rs. 1.20 crore for product research, development and marketing to 12 selected startups under J&K Start up Policy. The aim is to nurture the young and entrepreneurial brains of J & K to pursue Innovation and entrepreneurship by creating a vibrant and conducive startup ecosystem in the valley. The startups are like edu_tech, agriculture, health care, waste management and in various fields. Agriculture and its allied sectors like Horticulture and Floriculture were given preference. So, last but not the least, one can simply avail the opportunities. There is a broad consensus that the future belongs to those who are innovative and self-reliant. We can be among them. We should look at the opportunities. We can’t go on losing our generation in conflicts. The need of the hour is to find solutions to the problems, particularly in entrepreneurship, so that we can come out with flying colors. Let us pledge to walk hand in hand to make our valley a real Paradise, where no one begs and weeps for a morsel of food.
( The author is a freelancer. Views are his own [email protected])
