It is the entrepreneurs who drive the economic engine of a country, Lt Governor Girish Chandra Murmu said

Hopeful of a favourable change in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the next few months, Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu has said that his administration was working tirelessly towards the welfare of the people.

He also said the government alone cannot sustain the economy and it is the entrepreneurs who drive the economic engine of a country, emphasising that the dream of a five trillion USD economy will be a reality if the energy of youth is harnessed to its full potential.

"The government is committed to strengthening the socio-economic fabric of Jammu and Kashmir and is always open to the ideas which can take this march forward...the government is working tirelessly towards the welfare of the people and in the coming few months, a discernible change would be visible on the ground," Murmu said at a function yesterday at Bari Brahmana in Samba district.

In a boost to entrepreneurship and silk farming in the Jammu region, the Lt Governor inaugurated the newly-constructed, state-of-the-art administrative cum faculty block of the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI), besides a government silk weaving factory and silk filatures facility at Bari Brahmana.

The Lt Governor emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship and exhorted the youth to learn from the success stories to make a difference.

"There is no dearth of talent and only a little hand-holding of the youth is required to give them a purposeful direction," he said and advised the EDI officials to ensure advanced skill development and specialised training to the youth in consonance with the emerging requirements.

While launching a book on the success stories of entrepreneurs from Jammu and Kashmir, the Lt Governor appreciated the local entrepreneurs for scripting these success stories and felicitated them for achieving exceptional milestones in their respective ventures.

"You are the job creators and wealth creators. The government alone cannot sustain the economy; it is the entrepreneurs like you who drive the economic engine of a country. The dream of a five trillion USD economy will be a reality if the energy of youth is harnessed to its full potential," he said.

The government silk weaving factory and silk filatures have been established with project cost of Rs 16.80 crore and Rs 6.64 crore, respectively in a record time of about two years.

Both the units have been equipped with modern machinery and equipment under the expert guidance of Union Central Silk Board. The Silk Filatures will provide a stable market to about 10,000 farmers in the Jammu region, whereas the Silk Weaving Factory will have the capacity of producing 4,60,000 m of silk fabric creating direct and indirect employment opportunities for the people.

"The facilities would go a long way in addressing the issues of unemployed youth and the silk farming community. With the coming of silk factory at Jammu, in addition to the one at Srinagar which is under reconstruction, the silk farmers would be able to find a ready market, fetching good returns," Advisor to the Lt Governor, K K Sharma, said.

He said 900 m silk cocoons produced in Jammu and Kashmir could not find sufficient processing facilities resulting in loss to the silk producers.