NEW DELHI: BJP Jammu and Kashmir UT Spokesperson Ankit Gupta met Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh in New Delhi and discussed the expanding startup ecosystem and growing culture of entrepreneurship in Jammu and Kashmir.
During the meeting, Gupta highlighted the broader growth of India’s startup landscape under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the number of recognised startups had increased from around 350 in 2014 to more than 2.3 lakh, generating nearly 25 lakh employment opportunities across the country.
He said the entrepreneurial mindset was also gaining momentum in Jammu and Kashmir, with an increasing number of young people opting for innovation, enterprise and self-employment instead of relying solely on conventional career paths.
Gupta said students and innovators from institutions such as IIM Jammu and IIT Jammu were increasingly exploring entrepreneurship and attempting to turn innovative ideas into viable ventures.
He also apprised the Union Minister of the challenges being faced by young entrepreneurs in J&K, particularly in securing timely funding, financial assistance, mentorship, market linkages and institutional support.
Gupta stressed the need for a more streamlined and accessible support ecosystem that could help promising ideas from the Union Territory develop into sustainable enterprises.
He also expressed gratitude to Dr Jitendra Singh for what he described as his consistent interest in the aspirations of students and budding entrepreneurs from Jammu and Kashmir and for efforts aimed at securing greater opportunities and support for them.
Dr Jitendra Singh, according to the statement, assured full support to young entrepreneurs from the region and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to encouraging innovation, entrepreneurship and employment generation among youth.
He also assured that efforts would be made to facilitate greater access to government schemes, funding opportunities and institutional support for aspiring entrepreneurs from Jammu and Kashmir.
