JAMMU: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, today, remarked that the time has come to understand the major challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.
This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary while addressing the Amar Ujala MSME Bharat Conclave held in Jammu city, focusing on MSME challenges, solutions, and future strategies.
Director, Industries Department, Arun Kumar Manhas, and Labour Commissioner Charanjit Singh were present at the event, besides other departmental officers.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister informed that investment in Jammu & Kashmir reached ₹4,145 crore in the last decade, which is nearly 10 times higher than the previous period.
He further said that by August 2025 alone, ₹4,001 crore worth of projects have already been initiated.
He said that for the first time, sectors like metals, plastics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and food processing have seen investments exceeding ₹500 crore, leading to the establishment of several new units.
The Deputy CM further said that women in MSMEs contribute 3% to J&K GDP and provide employment to over 1 million people, with 15% of jobs held by women.
Emphasizing on creating a start-up ecosystem and new initiative enterprises, the Deputy CM called for setting up cross-sectoral business support ecosystem for the growth of entrepreneurship at all levels, along with the generation of mass employment opportunities through enterprise creation.
Surinder Choudhary reiterated the government’s commitment to establish J&K as a thriving hub of enterprises and holistic employment by fostering entrepreneurship and transitioning towards a sustainable economy, livelihood and empowered youth.
During the event, direct dialogue between entrepreneurs and officials was held, with special focus on Jammu’s industrial challenges.
Officials provided insights into departmental initiatives and respond to concerns related to pesticides, edible oils, cricket bats, paper mills, rice mills, and other small-scale industries in Jammu & Kashmir.
