In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials in Srinagar yesterday to review status of Industrial Investment and to discuss strategies on boosting investments in a fast-track mode.

Addressing on the occasion, the Lt Governor directed for proactive steps to increase private industrial estates equipped with necessary infrastructure.

He while emphasising that the women-led enterprises will shape the future of J&K observed that their increasing presence need to be ensured in the economy and designate more exclusive industrial estates for women entrepreneurs like the one established in Udhampur to facilitate women-run businesses and startups.

The Lt Governor underscored that 2023 will be the year of Agro-Industrial revolution powered by Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) and increased production in Agriculture & Allied Sectors that will offer vast opportunities to agro-industries. He directed the officials that the potential of new cold storage, cold chains must be tapped to ensure rapid economic growth flows to rural areas of the Union Territory. He directed officials to push for greater private investment in inland ports, container depots, food processing units in order to scale up further infrastructure.

Highlighting that GI Tagging has offered enormous potential to transform handicraft sector and to boost export, the Lt Governor said authenticity of products like Pashmina must be ensured for export. He directed the concerned officials to accelerate the development of basic amenities like connectivity, power and water facilities in the new Industrial estates. Manoj Sinha also called for replicating the best models of Industrial Estates developed in other parts of the country.