Govt will provide infrastructure to create sustainable employment: LG Sinha

Jammu, Jan 24: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday said that the government would train and provide supportive infrastructure to create sustainable employment.

He was speaking at a function presided over by him when J&K scripted a new record by providing entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities to 94,680 youth in a single day.

The LG congratulated the J&K Bank for its endeavour to strengthen the spirit of Ghar Ghar KCC Abhiyaan and Swarozgar Utsav – two ongoing campaigns aimed at the financial empowerment of farmers and the youth.

“Today, J&K creates a new record by distributing sanction letters to set up new units and startups that will fulfill dreams of youth and their aspiration of being a job creator and not a job seeker,” he said. “This momentous occasion also marks a significant leap forward in transforming the UT's economic landscape.”

Sinha said the J&K Bank is the common man’s Bank and is playing an important role in the betterment of common people.

“Swarozgar Utsav for entrepreneurship and self-employment covered all Panchayats of J&K and J&K Bank will provide Rs 1384 crore to set up new units and startups,” he said.  “We will provide training and supportive infrastructure to create sustainable employment for more youth in these units.”

The LG also highlighted the achievements registered in the saturation of Kisan Credit Card across J&K.

“Under Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan, about 2 lakh farmers were provided with Kisan Credit Card to ensure they have access to reliable, adequate and affordable credit. I see a new revolution is underway in agriculture and allied sector that will construct new pathways for the prosperity of J&K,” he said.

Appreciating the bank’s contribution towards social development projects in J&K under its CSR initiatives, Sinha underscored the scope for input credit in agriculture and MSME sectors to help farmers and youth create employment opportunities besides attaining self-sufficiency.

He directed the J&K Bank to achieve saturation in Ghar Ghar KCC Abhiyaan, Stand-Up India, and Startups.

“We have a lot of expectations from J&K Bank and I expect the bank to devise campaigns to take financial literacy programmes to a vast portion of the population. Under Back to Village and My Town My Pride programs, the banks must strive to achieve the envisaged target for extension of financial assistance to enterprising youth,” the LG said. “As we embark on a path of renewed economic and social development in J&K, banks, especially J&K Bank, will have to ensure the economic needs of farmers, youth and women are catered to with people-friendly schemes aimed at the creation of employment and livelihood opportunities not only for the beneficiaries but those associated with them as well.”

He handed over Insurance Claim Settlement cheques to the legal heirs of the deceased government employees covered under the Bank’s Group Personal Accidental Insurance.

Sinha also felicitated successful entrepreneurs and farmers financed by the bank.

He launched the Kisan Sathi Chatbot, an AI-based farmer-friendly application of the Agriculture Production Department.

J&K Bank has also contributed Rs 40.27 Lakh under its CSR initiative for the chatbot application.

Two cheques worth Rs 3.35 crore and Rs 3.84 crore under the J&K Bank CSR Programme were handed over to representatives of Jammu Smart City and Srinagar Smart City for the construction of e-bus bays and passenger sheds for the convenience of commuters.

J&K Bank’s other CSR initiatives also include a commitment letter to the Administrative Secretary, Department of Health and Medical Education for providing 120 Patient trolleys and 120 wheelchairs to all the district hospitals of J&K, handing over cheque worth Rs 26 lakh for two transport ambulances to Principal Government Medical College Jammu and Rs 34 Lakh for one critical care ambulance to Director SKIMS.

A cheque of Rs 24 lakh was presented to the Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare; a Rs 69.73 lakh cheque to Sewa Bharati representative; a cheque of Rs 11 lakh to Vice Chancellor Central University of Jammu and Rs 12 lakh to Vice Chancellor University of Jammu under various heads.

Two corporate movies themed upon the bank’s ‘Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan and Swarozgar Utsav’ and CSR initiatives were also screened on the occasion.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Department Shailendra Kumar; CGM NABARD B Sridhar; MD and CEO J&K Bank Baldev Prakash. and other senior officials were present.