SRINAGAR, DEC 11: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a significant development in diverse sectors over the last four years.
Official figures reveal that Jammu and Kashmir administration has been bringing in investments in diverse sectors as authorities have received investment proposals of around Rs 80,000 crore for the Union Territory over the last few years.
Since the launch of Udyam Registration portal in 2020, two lakh Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) units have been registered in J&K. As many as 38,000 MSME are run by women. The government has been supporting these youths to start their own units.
“The road network is vital for the movement of goods and plays a crucial role in trade and commerce. With better roads, the transportation of agricultural produce, handicrafts, and other local products becomes more efficient. This facilitates the growth of industries, promotes entrepreneurship, and strengthens the local economy. It also encourages investment in the region, as businesses can rely on reliable transportation infrastructure,” a senior official said.
The road projects being executed in Jammu and Kashmir are revolutionizing the connectivity across the Union Territory.
Due to better road connectivity, the travel times across Jammu and Kashmir have been reduced.
Take instance, the travel time from Jammu to Kishtwar has been reduced from 7.5 hours to 5hrs and the travel time from Jammu to Srinagar has been reduced from 7 to 12 hours to 5.5 hours for LMVs.
The new roads have brought significant benefits to Gujjar Bakerwals, farmers, and other marginalised communities in the region.
The improved accessibility enables them to sell their products at better prices and reach a wider customer base, resulting in increased income and economic opportunities.
As per the official details, the daily average macadamisation during 2017-2020 was 8.57 km which rose to 15.57 km per day during 2020-2023.
The figures reveal that 16,807 km of roads have been macadamized during the last three years under various central and UT sector schemes.
Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed an immense strength in rural connectivity as 2967 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) projects covering 17,798 km connecting 2096 habitations have been completed.
Last year, Jammu and Kashmir was ranked among the top three performing States/UTs at the national level for construction of road length per year under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). J&K maintained its rank as the Public Works Department (R&B) constructed PMGSY road length of 3284 km during the year 2021-22 and connected 114 habitations through road networks by executing 427 schemes in the year.
