Rajouri youth take up self-employment, make small agricultural tools to earn a living

Youth in the Thandi Kassi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district have taken up self-employment by making small instruments of iron for them to be used in the farming of crops.

Tools meant for cutting and digging are being made by these unemployed youth in the border areas of the district.

The unemployed youth claim that they are as skilled as skilled craftsmen.

Last month, during a visit to the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) in Rajouri, Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) for Rajouri Vibodh Gupta interacted with emerging entrepreneurs attending a three-week-long entrepreneurship development programme under Seed Capital Fund Scheme (SCFS) and the Youth Start-Up Loan Scheme (YSLS).

He spoke with around 60 candidates and their programme coordinators, and said that the JKEDI is the only viable option to tackle increasing unemployment in the state.

He said Jammu and Kashmir in general and Rajouri district in particular have tremendous potential in sectors such as horticulture, agriculture and allied services, wherein educated unemployed youth can set up their entrepreneurial ventures with the support from the government.

Gupta also described Rajouri District as having tourism potential and made a particular mention of the Mughal Road which connects the Jammu region to the Kashmir region. He said that the opening of this road has opened a gate of business opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

New units like ice cream, restaurants, hotels and cafes etc., he said could be established with financial assistance from the JKEDI.