STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Accusing the Centre of being “insincere” while releasing flood relief package to Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) on Saturday announced a slew of measures for generating employment to boost the state’s economy which was hit hard by the last year’s deluge.
“We have decided not to completely bank on government support and assistance for improving the state’s economy. We will utilise state’s resources for the economic upliftment so that employment is generated,” KEA Chairman Showkat Choudhary told reporters here. He said KEA – an amalgam of over a dozen business houses including traders, transporters and hoteliers – was embarking on a ‘mission’ to make the valley self-reliant to boost the economy and generate avenues for the unemployed youth.
“KEA will help increase local production in sectors which have huge potential and resources, like agriculture, horticulture, animal and sheep husbandry, tourist, information technology, education and service sectors,” Choudhary said.
He said KEA would help unemployed youths to become self-reliant by developing them into potential entrepreneurs.
“KEA will organise entrepreneurship programs, awareness and counselling, for jobless youth for taking up business ventures,” he said, adding KEA would help selected youths to avail state and centrally sponsored schemes for setting up business units.
He said KEA would fast-track projects of the selected youths for central and state sponsored schemes and would also explore financial assistance from business houses for genuine and viable projects for them.
“This will help Kashmir youths who are real assets to turn into entrepreneurs and also producers rather than consumers to be less dependent on the supplies from outside the state,” he said. .
Criticising the Centre for its “failure” to provide relief and rehabilitation package to the flood affected state, the KEA chairman claimed that the government did not allow it to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar in the capital.
“Despite repeated requests and follow up letters, we were not given permission (by the Centre) to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar to press for early release of the flood relief and rehabilitation package,” he said.
“This has made everything clear that the Centre is not sincere in listening to us or releasing any package as proposed by the state government”.
He said KEA would not stop its fight for the release of the relief and rehabilitation package as it is “our right”.
“We will continue our fight through various channels,” he added. (PTI)