IIM Jammu Inaugurates 3-Day Capacity Building Prog Under YUVA Project

Jammu: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu on Friday inaugurated the 3-Day Capacity Building Program under the ambitious Project YUVA (Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan). This groundbreaking initiative aims to foster entrepreneurship and accelerate employment opportunities across Jammu and Kashmir by empowering youth, women, and vulnerable groups. The program, scheduled from 27th to 29th September 2024, was graced by
govt. officials of Jammu and Kashmir. The inauguration ceremony began with traditional lamp lighting.
The inaugural event was graced by Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Secretary to Govt., Labour & Employment Department, Govt of Jammu and Kashmir. Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu presided over the inaugural ceremony. In his address Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Secretary to Govt., Labour & Employment
Department, Govt of Jammu and Kashmir emphasized that Mission YUVA is a forward-thinking initiative designed to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship, independent of Government schemes. He highlighted the challenges individuals face in their careers, stressing the need for a mindset that fosters intellectual growth and innovation. He outlined the 4Cs—Culture, Capital, Capacity, and Connectivity—as key pillars for driving entrepreneurial transformation. He also emphasized the importance of creating market linkages and self-sustaining ecosystems for long-term growth. Additionally, he encouraged the government officials to draft comprehensive guidelines to support entrepreneurship, noting that clarity in these frameworks is essential for
effective implementation. He concluded by reaffirming that this capacity-building program is a crucial step toward fostering a sustainable and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that will empower both government officials and entrepreneurs to drive the future development of Jammu and Kashmir.
In his address, Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, highlighted the critical need for a mindset shift to foster entrepreneurship in Jammu and Kashmir. Drawing from his personal journey in both Industry and Academia, he underscored that creativity and innovation, rather than financial aid or
subsidies, are the driving forces behind entrepreneurship. He emphasized that success requires embracing opportunities and challenges with the right mindset. He urged participants to commit to Mission YUVA, pointing out that entrepreneurship benefits not only individuals but also has a transformative impact on communities. He stressed that success is inevitable when one takes
ownership of the entrepreneurial journey, in line with IIM Jammu’s vision to nurture entrepreneurs who can perform globally to make a valuable difference to the Society and the Corporate world. He also elaborated on the broader vision of mission YUVA, emphasizing its project to create a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir. Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, in his address, emphasized that initiatives like Project YUVA require careful planning and thoughtful deliberation during their design and implementation. He highlighted the core vision of Project YUVA, which aims to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a thriving hub of enterprises. The program is anchored around the 4Cs—Culture (ecosystem creation), Capital (credit enablement), Capacity (skill development and handholding), and Connectivity (market linkages). It aims to create 1.37 lakh enterprises, generating employment opportunities for 4.25 lakh youths in Jammu & Kashmir over the next five years. The initiative has a projected budget of ₹1,830 crore,
with an influx of more than ₹5,000 crore expected from banks and financial institutions. The event culminated with the national anthem. The YUVA initiative jointly developed by Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir and IIM Jammu is poised to create a lasting impact by developing a robust business ecosystem in the region, fostering entrepreneurship, and unlocking the economic potential of Jammu and Kashmir.