JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today observed that establishing a robust and responsive mechanism under the MSME Health Clinic to provide “the right advice at the right time” to local enterprises would be one of the most significant developmental interventions ever undertaken for the MSME sector in Jammu & Kashmir.
He made these remarks while chairing a comprehensive review meeting on the performance of the MSME Health Clinic, an initiative of the Industries & Commerce Department in collaboration with IIM Jammu under the RAMP scheme.
The meeting was attended by Director, IIM Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce; Director Industries, Jammu/Kashmir; faculty members from IIM Jammu; representatives from BISAG-N; and other senior officers.
Emphasizing the way forward, the Chief Secretary called for reaching out to all MSMEs across the UT to digitally assess their operational and financial health through a comprehensive analytical tool to be developed with BISAG-N.
He outlined a structured approach whereby enterprises would first undergo preliminary digital screening, followed by advanced assessment of identified units. Stressed or sick units would initially be provided tele-consultation, followed by personal interaction with experts and, wherever necessary, customized on-ground interventions through field visits by subject specialists.
He directed the Industries & Commerce Department to ensure seamless sharing of requisite enterprise data with experts from IIM Jammu to facilitate evidence-based diagnosis and recommend both financial and non-financial interventions tailored to the specific needs of each unit.
Stressing institutional strengthening, he advised the creation of dedicated cells within both the Industries Department and IIM Jammu to oversee and streamline this specialized service to MSMEs.
Observing that MSMEs form the backbone of the UT’s industrial ecosystem, the Chief Secretary underscored the need for strong intent, coordinated action and sustained commitment to ensure the sector’s growth and resilience.
He stated that no greater support could be extended to MSMEs than a timely and well-structured intervention mechanism such as this, assuring that availability of funds would not be a constraint in achieving the mission. He also encouraged securing adequate human resources to scale up the initiative effectively.
Director, IIM Jammu, B.S. Sahay described the initiative as a mission-driven effort with the sole objective of ensuring measurable impact in a time-bound manner.
He suggested launching a focused outreach campaign, building upon the work already undertaken as a sample survey. Highlighting the scale of opportunity, he stated that reaching nearly 5.5 lakh enterprises across J&K is achievable with a well-designed strategy.
He further proposed leveraging the academic strength of IIM Jammu, including the involvement of its 800 students through structured project work, to contribute meaningfully to the initiative.
Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh informed the meeting that after establishing the necessary digital framework by integrating GST, Udyam registrations, electricity consumption data and other utility metrics, around 2,050 units have been registered on the MSME Health Clinic portal. He added that approximately 12,000 units are targeted to be assessed by April this year, with expert-backed interventions to be recommended by IIM Jammu.
Director Industries, Jammu, Arun Manhas through a presentation apprised the meeting that the MSME Health Clinic Portal has been technologically strengthened with stabilized architecture, enhanced dashboard analytics and a user-friendly interface for field officers and enterprises.
He added that the key API integrations have been completed with JK Bank for financial pattern analysis, the Power Development Department for electricity consumption trends, and Udyam for enterprise registration data. Integrations with GST filings and EPFO data are currently underway to enable comprehensive multi-parameter digital assessments, the meeting was informed.
It was also divulged that over 5.85 lakh MSMEs’ Udyam data has been received from the Ministry of MSME. During Phase 1 (Pilot Execution), 75 enterprises were identified, 62 clinic sessions conducted, and 14 units flagged for rehabilitation across 11 districts.
Under Phase 2, 406 enterprises were digitally assessed, of which 318 were found stable, 87 categorised as stressed, and three identified as sick, extending coverage to 12 districts. Combined outreach now spans 20 districts across the Union Territory.
The review highlighted that, preliminarily, it was diagnosed that enterprises here require financial and credit restructuring support, assistance in raw material sourcing and supply chain stabilisation, marketing and branding interventions, technology upgradation, skilled manpower retention and, in complex cases, physical site visits for detailed diagnostics.
Moreover, it was given out that under the upcoming Phase 3, targeted interventions will be undertaken for stressed units through in-depth interviews, stakeholder workshops, structured field visits and preparation of comprehensive diagnostic and revival reports too.
The meeting was informed that this will be a continuous and evolving process aimed at building a sustainable early-warning and enterprise support system for MSMEs in Jammu & Kashmir for the times to come.
