JK Govt reaffirms push for Industrial growth, jobs

Srinagar, Aug 4: The Jammu & Kashmir Government has reiterated its commitment to promoting industrial growth, attracting investments and creating employment opportunities in the Union Territory, while responding to an editorial titled “Self-Inflicted Industrial Isolation” published in Daily Excelsior on July 29, 2026.

In a statement, the Government said the editorial was published without seeking its comments or factual clarifications.

It said the Government remains committed to leveraging suitable Government of India initiatives to accelerate industrial development. The Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS), introduced in 2012 and revised in 2015, remained open for applications till December 31, 2018, while the Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC) Scheme, launched in 2012 and revamped as EMC 2.0 in 2020, accepted applications till March 31, 2024.

The Government said these schemes were operational during a period when Jammu & Kashmir faced major challenges, including inadequate industrial infrastructure, connectivity issues, logistical constraints, limited market access and low investor confidence. In the absence of a mature electronics manufacturing ecosystem, attracting investments of the envisaged scale was not feasible.

It further explained that while the EMC Scheme offered financial assistance of up to ₹50 crore, later enhanced to ₹75 crore under EMC 2.0, establishing a viable electronics manufacturing cluster required at least 100 acres (around 800 kanals) of land. Given the limited availability of such land and the high infrastructure costs, the financial assistance was insufficient to make such projects viable.

Regarding M-SIPS, the Government said the scheme provided capital incentives directly to eligible electronics manufacturing units. However, due to the prevailing constraints and the absence of an established electronics manufacturing base, no unit from Jammu & Kashmir applied under the scheme.

Highlighting recent progress, the Government said the industrial landscape of the Union Territory has undergone a significant transformation. Investments worth ₹5,824.42 crore were grounded during FY 2025-26, the highest ever in a single financial year and 13 times higher than the pre-policy period. Since FY 2020-21, the Union Territory has attracted investments of ₹16,302 crore, reflecting sustained industrial growth.

It also noted that Jammu & Kashmir was recognised as a ‘Top Achiever’, securing 5th rank among all States and Union Territories in the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) 2024, reflecting substantial improvements in the ease of doing business.

The Government reiterated that it will continue to proactively pursue initiatives aimed at boosting investments, generating employment and driving economic development across the Union Territory.