Jammu and Kashmir is marching towards an industrial revolution as the number of rejuvenated units in the state reached an all time high of 12,600 units by FY11-end,providing employment to about 50,000 people. The number of units established during last fiscal under village and small scale sectors alone have reached to the tune of 658 with an investment of Rs 65.77 crore, State Minister for Industries and Commerce S S Slathia said at a review meeting of his department here. The Minister said the Government has flagged industrial development as priority in the State to provide job opportunities to the burgeoning number of unemployed youth. The entrepreneurs are provided all the possible incentives both under central and State Industrial policies and efforts are underway to create a congenial industrial atmosphere by developing new industrial estates in every nook and corner of the state, Slathia said. He said nine more new Industrial Estates at Kahnmoh Phase-III,Ompora Budgam,Vessui in Anantnag,Chatipora-Handwara in Kupwara,Phyang and Khaltsi in Leh,Rengreth in Srinagar and Ashmuju in Kulgam are proposed to be developed shortly for which about 135 hectares of land have already been acquired at these places. A modern silk park equipped with Common Facility Centres is also being established at Zukura in the outskirts of Srinagar for promotion of traditional Silk Industries in Kashmir division,he said. The centre has also sanctioned two clusters for development of wood industries,one each in Srinagar and Anantnag, the Minister said,adding,the construction of Cricket Bat cluster at Bijbehara in Anantnag district is in final stage. Slathia said government provides various types of incentives to the unit holder to encourage them by way of making their products marketable. For this purpose,he said about Rs 4.43 crore were provided to 179 Industrial units as 100 per cent subsidy for procuring diesel generator sets and stabilisers during last three years. Slathia said Rs 90 lakh have been provided to 17 industrial units as 15-30 per cent capital investment subsidy and Rs 1.47 crore to 25 industrial units as 100 per cent subsidy for testing equipments. Similarly,under central incentives,45 units have been distributed Rs 3.70 crore as central investments subsidy and 19 units provided Rs 6.62 crore as transport subsidy,he said. He said under Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) about 710 Industrial units were set up at a cost of Rs 13 crore providing employment to about 2,100 youth during last three years. The Minister asked the concerned authorities to launch a vigorous awareness campaign for motivating prospective entrepreneurs and clear their cases expeditiously under single window. He also called for conducting industrial potential surveys to form further plans for industrial development in the state.
