New Delhi: Dr Jitendra Singh today urged the industry body, CII to come forward in a big way to promote start-ups in Jammu and Kashmir to provide gainful employment to youth, an official press release informed.
The Union Minister of State Science & Technology; Earth Sciences, said J&K has huge unexplored potential for Agri-tech start-ups as the geography and climatic conditions favour the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants there. He said the success of ‘Aroma Mission’ or ‘Purple Revolution’ bears testimony to the win-win proposition for both farmers and youth entrepreneurs.
Interacting with the J&K Chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry CII), Dr Singh said the real stakeholders from all walks of life should come out with an open mind for the overall development of the UT.
According to the press release, the minister recalled that Prime Minister Modi last year, while meeting the political representatives from J&K called for removing “Dilli ki Doori” (the distance from Delhi) as well as “Dil ki Doori” (the distance from the heart).
He said after Modi took oath for the second term, “‘Mission J&K’ was strongly emphasized, of which one of the important steps taken has been the extensive public outreach program involving Union ministers, apart from several important developmental projects and new investments bestowed on the newly created UT.”
Dr Jitendra Singh promised all help from departments of Biotechnology, CSIR, Atomic Energy for successful ventures of Agri-tech start-ups in Jammu and Kashmir.
He pointed out that apart from ‘Aroma Mission’, Biotech KISAN Hub has rejuvenated 40 orchards till date under the rejuvenation of apple orchards, where a very innovative methodology has been used to transform the old and non-productive orchards into more productive ones. He said for this to succeed, the youth have to shed the government job mindset.
According to the press release, Sayed Ehsan Javaid, chairman of CII UT Council, Jammu and Kashmir, said, since the abrogation of article 370 post-August 5th 2019, they have adopted the theme “Making J&K an Aspirational Destination” by playing a proactive role as a catalyst for sustainable development of the UT and making it an aspirational destination for investments, quality education, and advanced infrastructure.
He said going forward, CII would like to work in the areas where the UT has a huge untapped potential through policy dialogue, sectoral events, B2B and B2G platforms and investment meets. “CII will leverage its resources and vast network across the globe to work with the Jammu & Kashmir government,” the press release quoted him saying.
