Jammu, Aug 15: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary while highlighting achievements over the past ten months, announced the launch of 46 new industrial estates across J&K, with new factories coming up in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Pulwama, and Budgam.
A Local Employment Policy has been formulated to prioritise employment for local youth in these new ventures.
The government has also given GI tags to Kashmiri Pashmina, Kani shawls, paper mache, walnut wood carvings, and other regional products like Solai honey, Kaladi, Guchchi mushrooms, Basmati rice, Bhaderwah Rajma, and Kishtwar saffron, promoting local artisans and heritage.
The Deputy CM highlighted the government’s efforts to support the weak and needy, including distributing two lakh safety kits with helmets, gloves, shoes, and medical supplies to workers. Pension schemes like ISSS and NSAP have been extended to ensure monthly pensions for the elderly, widows, and disabled.Health sector initiatives include expanding healthcare facilities, increasing MBBS and PG seats to provide more medical education opportunities locally, and launching mobile schools in remote hilly areas.
Women’s empowerment initiatives include forming Self Help Groups, where women engage in small businesses such as dairy farming, tailoring, pickle and jam making, and online handicraft sales.
These groups are provided with interest-free loans, marketing training, and accounting tools to help their ventures succeed.
The Deputy CM also highlighted infrastructure development achievements. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase IV, 1,741 km of rural roads costing Rs 4,224 crore are being constructed to connect over 2,400 villages.
Additionally, 19 new national highway projects worth Rs. 10,637 crore have been approved under MORTH, with ongoing projects funded through NABARD.In the power sector, efforts have strengthened the transmission and distribution system to ensure a reliable electricity supply.
Tourism continues to be a key pillar of J&K’s economy, with new housing, parking, and crowd management facilities introduced to enhance visitor experience.
Deputy CM urged the younger generation to preserve and protect the freedom earned through sacrifices, saying it is their duty to carry forward the nation’s progress. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continued development with honesty, dedication, and hard work.
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