Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha unveiled ‘Mission YUVA‘ on Sunday, an ambitious initiative designed to establish the region as a center of entrepreneurial excellence and employment generation. Addressing an official Republic Day function, Sinha announced the creation of over 1,37,000 enterprises and 4,25,000 jobs within five years.
Key features of mission YUVA
- Focus on youth and women: The program prioritizes first-generation entrepreneurs, youth, and women, especially from remote areas.
- Boost to MSMEs: Establishment of new businesses in growth sectors and scaling up existing enterprises.
- Innovative startups: Promotion of knowledge-based enterprises and innovative startups.
“Mission YUVA is a transformative strategy that leverages the region’s socio-economic and cultural heritage for inclusive prosperity,” Sinha said.
Recruitment and training
Sinha emphasized transparent recruitment, citing 40,000 appointments in the last five years. With 10,616 positions referred to the Public Service Commission and Services Selection Board, notifications for 7,376 have been issued. Examinations for 6,090 positions have already taken place.
For skill development, initiatives under Himayat, National Urban Livelihood Mission, and National Rural Livelihood Mission are providing self-employment opportunities.
Empowering women and persons with disabilities
- Women-centric initiatives: Plans to transform 40,000 rural women into ‘Lakhpati Didis’ and establish 20 hubs for women’s empowerment.
- Inclusion of persons with disabilities: Over 550 individuals secured government jobs following changes in reservation policies.
Sports and infrastructure development
- Revival of international cricket with the Legends League in J&K for the first time since 1988.
- Establishment of water sports and fencing academies, with plans for high-performance training centers in every district.
- Hosting of the 5th
Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg in February.
“The Khel Gaon in Nagrota, a multi-sports hub, will soon be completed, and a gymnastics academy will be established in Srinagar,” Sinha said.
With a focus on economic and social empowerment, ‘Mission YUVA’ aims to redefine Jammu and Kashmir’s developmental trajectory.
