SRINAGAR, September 10, 2026 – The Apex Committee of Mission YUVA (Youth Upliftment and Vibrant Advancement) convened under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to review the program’s massive strides in fostering youth-led entrepreneurship. Since its last review in May, the mission has recorded exponential growth across its core dimensions of Culture, Capital, Capacity, and Connectivity, reinforcing its goal of shifting the focus from government job-seeking to self-sustained economic development.
Reviewing the milestones, the Chief Secretary emphasized the importance of sustaining the on-ground momentum and strengthening the convergence among associated institutions to convert the growing application base into viable, long-term employment opportunities.
1.Surge in Financial Disbursement and Female Participation:
The mission has witnessed a substantial expansion in its footprint, with the total application intake increasing by 37 percent to reach 1,42,196 applications by early September. Loan sanctions have grown by a robust 53 percent, amounting to ₹1,992 crore across 37,171 accounts, while actual credit disbursements have hit ₹1,826 crore. A particularly significant milestone has been the growing participation of women, with female-led applications increasing by 76 percent—78 percent of which are being driven by Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
2.Translation into Operational Enterprises:
Financial support is actively translating into tangible enterprise creation. Currently, 13,597 new enterprises are fully operational across Jammu and Kashmir, representing a 58 percent surge since May. An additional 6,777 enterprises are currently in the Work-In-Progress (WIP) stage. Furthermore, the final loan sanction rate by commercial banks recovered strongly, improving from 23 percent in July to 40 percent in August, indicating enhanced processing efficiency across the financial funnel.
3.Capacity Building and Digital Market Integration:
The mission’s Capacity Building and Business Mentorship component expanded dramatically, with 36,474 student and entrepreneur certifications completed. A total of 2,645 emerging entrepreneurs are currently receiving guidance from 482 onboarded mentors. Crucially, the mission has rapidly expanded digital market access for local products, registering a massive 329 percent growth in J&K merchant storefronts onboarded to the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), bringing the total to 9,266 digital stores.
The Chief Secretary directed Deputy Commissioners to ensure continued field mobilization, effective handholding of applicants, and the leveraging of digital platforms to solidify Mission YUVA as a comprehensive engine for J&K’s youth empowerment.
Published by True Roots Media Network