STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Minister for Industries and Commerce Chander Parkash Ganga on Thursday said that the Industries and Commerce Department contributes more than 25 per cent to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and the government is making efforts to increase it manifold in coming years.
Winding up the discussion on demand of grants for the departments under his charge, the minister said the government has introduced effective measures to create conducive atmosphere for entrepreneurs interested in setting up business units thereby contributing in improving the industrial growth of the State.
The minister said the government is making diligent efforts to generate employment opportunities through establishment of micro industrial units in rural as well as urban areas. He said under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and various other employment schemes benefits have been provided to the unemployed youth of the state. Under PMEGP a total of 11,691 youth in the State under this bank tie-up scheme with margin money of Rs 171.49 crore provided by GoI ending March, 2016 have benefitted, he added.
This has resulted in creation of direct and indirect employment opportunities for a total of 60,882 persons and the consolidated figures for the current financial are expected to be much higher, he informed.
“We have already identified 11,094 kanals of state land in various parts of the state for establishment of industrial estates in addition to the existing 53 industrial estates in the state spread over an area of 31,335 kanals and the 29 industrial estates which are under different stages of development”, the minister said.
He added that the Government is also focusing on up-gradation of infrastructure of various Industrial Estates at a cost of Rs 138 crore and the project for which has already been approved, he said.
Ganga informed that government is committed to make judicious and optimal use of its rich resources including lime stone, gypsum, marble, granite, quartzite.
Cross-LoC trade has been an essential faction for the trading community of the state, especially for the border districts and Government is taking various steps to make trade easier and modern, including creation of banking facilities and opening of more routes, the Minister said.
Later, the House passed the grants of Industries and Commerce department for the year 2017-18 moved by the Minister, amounting to Rs 55903.10 lakh with voice vote.
