In Jammu and Kashmir, an ambitious initiative known as “Mission Youth” is transforming the lives of young individuals aged 15 to 35. This initiative, aimed at engaging and empowering the youth, focuses on making them ambassadors of peace, prosperity, and socio-economic growth through a range of systematic interventions across various domains. With its comprehensive programmes and schemes.
Mission Youth is opening doors to new opportunities and shaping a promising future for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mumkin – Livelihood Generation Scheme
Unemployment has been a pressing concern among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. To address this issue, Mission Youth introduced the Mumkin scheme.
This initiative facilitates unemployed youth in procuring small commercial vehicles at a subsidised rate to establish sustainable livelihoods in the transport sector. To ensure a transparent and efficient implementation process, a digital module has been developed on the JK-e Services portal.
Under this scheme, Mission Youth contributes Rs 0.80 lakh or 10% of the On-Road Price of the vehicle (whichever is minimum) per beneficiary, and the vehicle manufacturers also match this amount. The partnership with reputable vehicle manufacturers ensures that the youth are provided with the best-in-class vehicle options, and the choice of vehicle type is left to the discretion of the youth within the scheme’s guidelines.
Spurring Entrepreneurship Initiative
Entrepreneurship is the backbone of any thriving economy. The Spurring Entrepreneurship initiative focuses on youth enterprise with innovation and champions innovation programmes to encourage young entrepreneurs, particularly young women, to innovate in various enterprises.
The scheme’s aim is to provide financial assistance to the youth of J&K for establishing their business units. It encourages innovation and job creation by allowing the youth to decide the nature and manner of their businesses rather than confining them to a predefined list of activities.
Tejaswani – The Radiant
On International Women’s Day, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha announced the Tejaswini scheme, designed to promote entrepreneurship among young women. This scheme offers financial assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh to young women, specifically tailored to their skills, training, aptitude, and local conditions. Eligible women must be between the ages of 18 to 35 and have a qualification of at least the 10th standard.
SAHYTA Programme
Recognising the struggles youth face in distress, Mission Youth has rolled out the SAHYTA programme. Under this initiative, financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh can be provided to youth in distress for setting up gainful self-employment units. The term youth in distress encompasses individuals between the ages of 18 to 40 who have lost a next of kin or family member in insurgency-related actions, cross-border shelling, or mine blast incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, including those who have suffered permanent incapacitation in such incidents.
Young Innovators Programme
Innovation is a driving force for progress and development. The Young Innovators Programme aims to enhance young people’s learning and development through non-formal activities that focus on pioneering experimentation and innovation in education, entrepreneurship, art, research, and cross-sectoral partnerships. This program supports innovative entrepreneurship ideas, innovative youth entrepreneurship contests, young social and educational innovators, and innovative initiatives in resource conservation and management.
Mission Youth encourages promising innovators to excel in their areas of interest by providing them with institutional support and financial assistance.
Rise Together
The Rise Together scheme, introduced by Mission Youth, is a community-oriented livelihood generation initiative designed to promote community-based entrepreneurship and generate jobs, income, and a spirit of social service among young entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir. Eligible youth groups receive financial assistance of up to Rs 20 lakh, comprising an upfront subsidy from Mission Youth (a minimum of Rs 2.5 lakh or 10% of the project cost) and a bank loan (70% of the project cost, up to Rs 17.50 lakh). The remaining 20% of the project cost is to be self-financed or self-arranged by the beneficiary youth group as margin money.
In summary, Mission Youth J&K is a beacon of hope and opportunity for the young individuals of the region. It provides a platform for them to pursue their dreams, acquire the necessary skills, and chart their own paths to a brighter and more prosperous future. These innovative schemes and initiatives not only tackle unemployment but also encourage entrepreneurship, innovation, and social development, setting the stage for a more prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.