SRINAGAR, Feb 11, 2026 — Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary reaffirmed today that addressing unemployment is a primary pillar of the Jammu and Kashmir government, with a strategic shift toward turning youth into job-creators through entrepreneurship, skilling, and institutional reforms. Replying to a question by Legislator Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi in the Legislative Assembly, the Deputy CM highlighted the success of the Mission YUVA platform, which has seen over 1.71 lakh registrations and 70,000 formal enterprise applications. To ensure these ventures are technically and financially sound, Small Business Development Units (SBDUs) have professionally prepared over 52,800 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Choudhary provided a breakdown of the financial impact, noting that 16,141 applications have been completed to date, resulting in nearly ₹1,000 crore in bank sanctions and over ₹700 crore already disbursed. This funding is backed by a robust training framework; 7,339 entrepreneurs have finished their capacity-building programs, while another 5,000 are currently enrolled. The Deputy CM also referenced a comprehensive January 2025 survey revealing that out of 64.8 lakh individuals surveyed, 4.73 lakh (1.79 lakh in Jammu and 2.94 lakh in Kashmir) identified as “not working but willing to work,” underscoring the vital need for these self-employment initiatives.
Furthermore, the Deputy Chief Minister assured the House that the program is maintaining momentum, with 15,000 applications in advanced stages expected to be sanctioned by March 31, 2026. An additional 22,000 credit-worthy applications are slated for approval over the next few months. Emphasizing the program’s integrity, Choudhary clarified that Mission YUVA is a rigorous, credibility-based entrepreneurship model rather than a simple subsidy scheme. He stated that multi-stage scrutiny ensures only viable enterprises receive public funding, thereby securing the long-term success of J&K’s young entrepreneurs. The discussion also included supplementary inputs from Legislator Mir Saifullah.
