“A trend to identify areas for investment in social service sectors and take calculated risks in running business venture is growing fast among the jobless youth in Jammu & Kashmir.”
Amid growing unemployment in Jammu & Kashmir the Government has been focusing on entrepreneurship for last more than five years. Despite the challenges the entrepreneurship is taking roots both in industrial and as well as social service sectors particularly tourism, transport, agriculture and horticulture sectors. While the agriculture and horticulture sectors have come under stress due to unpleasant weather conditions during last three years, the increasing surge in tourists arrivals witnessed during last three years has opened up flood gates of entrepreneurship in social services sectors particularly tourism, transport, health and education sectors across Jammu & Kashmir. The transformative impact on the entrepreneurship in social service sectors has as such brought about a perceptible change on ground in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu . A trend to identify areas for investment in social service sectors and take calculated risks in running business venture is growing fast among the jobless youth in Jammu & Kashmir. Peace which did not prevail during the reigns of popular governments in erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State but established in last few years has undoubtedly created a conducive atmosphere for entrepreneurship in Jammu & Kashmir. With peace creating a conducive atmosphere for entrepreneurship the jobless youth are now more interested in investments in social service sectors and less in Government jobs. A reduced interest in Government jobs and increasing interest in the entrepreneurship in social service sectors among the jobless youth is a new reality in Jammu & Kashmir which if encouraged in coming year will change the face of local economy both in Kashmir Valle and as well as Jammu division.
“While road and rail connectivity in increasing the access of local crafts to international markets amid a huge rise in tourist footfall, the expansion of businesses operations beyond the borders of Jammu & Kashmir is changing the scope of entrepreneurship beyond imagination even in handicrafts and handloom sectors. Entrepreneurship in social sectors as such is not only about economic transformation of Jammu & Kashmir but it is also a pathway to promote and preserve the traditional crafts of Kashmir Valley.”
Notably the entrepreneurship has also much greater scope in the traditional handicraft and handloom sectors as preserving and promoting traditional crafts is also a priority of the Government. Interestingly preserving and promoting traditional crafts has a direct bearing on the ages old cultural heritage of Kashmir as well. With Kashmir fast changing into an all weather destination and tourist showing greater interest in local crafts of Kashmir the entrepreneurship in traditional crafts could be yet another area of employability for the jobless youth in Valley. While road and rail connectivity in increasing the access of local crafts to international markets amid a huge rise in tourist footfall, the expansion of businesses operations beyond the borders of Jammu & Kashmir is changing the scope of entrepreneurship beyond imagination even in handicrafts and handloom sectors. Entrepreneurship in social sectors as such is not only about economic transformation of Jammu & Kashmir but it is also a pathway to promote and preserve the traditional crafts of Kashmir Valley.
