SRINAGAR: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday called for revitalizing the Jammu and Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) to boost employment and economic growth. Speaking at a review meeting in Srinagar, he highlighted the importance of making KVIB more dynamic by expanding outreach and implementing reforms.
He reviewed progress under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and JK Rural Employment Generation Programme (JKREGP), focusing on unit establishment during the current financial year. The Deputy CM urged KVIB to launch widespread awareness campaigns via social media, schools, colleges, and rural areas to encourage entrepreneurs, especially youth and women, to participate in self-employment schemes.
He emphasized involving local public representatives in outreach programs to strengthen grassroots engagement. Calling for institutional reforms, he urged the Board to adopt result-oriented measures to improve efficiency, transparency, and service delivery. “Our aim is to create employment and economic resources for willing individuals to become self-reliant and job providers,” he said.
The Deputy CM stressed maintaining high standards of transparency and accountability to ensure benefits reach deserving beneficiaries without delay. He also recommended adopting best practices from successful models elsewhere to enhance program impact. Special focus was given to increasing women’s participation in entrepreneurship and self-employment initiatives, fostering their contribution to economic development.
The meeting reviewed the progress of SFURTI clusters, with directions to further strengthen support for traditional industries, artisans, and rural enterprises. Senior officers from KVIB and related departments attended the meeting.