Jammu, Mar 06: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired a meeting to review the district-wise performance of Mission YUVA across Jammu and Kashmir, assessing progress on key parameters of Culture, Capital, Capacity and Connectivity aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and employment generation among the youth.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism; Vice Chancellors of Universities; Director, IIM Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, Planning; Secretary, Labour & Employment; DG, Codes; Managing Director, JKRLM; Director, Employment; Director, Colleges; Convenor, UTLBC and other concerned officers.

Deputy Commissioners participated in the meeting through video conferencing from their respective districts.

The meeting reviewed the status of awareness initiatives under Udyam Jagriti 4.0, establishment of institutional mechanisms including Project Management Units (PMUs), Small Business Development Units (SBDUs), Business Help Desks (BHDs) and engagement of Motivators and Yuva Doots. Progress regarding application processing, loan sanctioning, enterprise incubation and ecosystem development under the Mission was also assessed.

Taking note of the progress achieved so far, the Chief Secretary impressed upon the Deputy Commissioners to take earnest steps towards completing the institutional framework in their districts. He directed them to ensure that SBDUs and BHDs become fully functional at the earliest and that Motivators and Yuva Doots are onboarded in a time-bound manner to ensure effective implementation of the Mission across the Union Territory.

Emphasising the need to expand outreach, the Chief Secretary asked the concerned departments to further intensify Udyam Jagriti initiatives in colleges and among Self Help Groups (SHGs). He stressed that aspiring entrepreneurs should receive proper mentoring, counselling and handholding support so that they are able to translate their ideas into viable enterprises.

Reviewing the role of financial institutions in supporting the Mission, the Chief Secretary observed that loan sanctions amounting to around Rs 1,200 crore and disbursements of nearly Rs 964 crore indicate encouraging progress. However, he advised the banks to maintain a steady pace of 150–200 loan disbursements per day so that legacy pendencies are cleared and annual targets under the Mission are achieved in a timely manner.

He also emphasised the importance of periodic review and output tracking of enterprises established through these loans, so that their progress is closely monitored and necessary guidance is provided to ensure the sustainability and success of these ventures.

The Chief Secretary further underscored the need to address gaps identified in incubation centres established in higher educational institutions. He asked the concerned department to share the detailed assessment criteria used for evaluating these institutions so that corrective measures can be taken to strengthen the incubation ecosystem and ensure optimal utilisation of the facilities.

Additionally, he advised the Deputy Commissioners to encourage local businesses and enterprises to onboard themselves on the ONDC seller platform, enabling them to expand market access, promote their products and strengthen their businesses through digital commerce.

Earlier, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, in his detailed presentation, highlighted the district-wise status of Mission YUVA implementation across Jammu and Kashmir. He apprised the meeting of the progress achieved under the four pillars of Culture, Capital, Capacity and Connectivity, while also identifying areas requiring greater focus by the respective districts.

He also outlined the gaps observed in incubation centres established in higher educational institutions, particularly in terms of governance structure, start-up success, infrastructure, networking and funding patterns, while highlighting the strengths and best-performing institutions.

Further, he demonstrated the weak-performing blocks and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in certain districts where greater efforts are required in capacity building of applicants to enable them to effectively utilise bank credit and establish sustainable enterprises.

The Chief Secretary was informed by Director, Employment, Harvinder Singh, that the ongoing Udyam Jagriti 4.0 awareness campaign has achieved substantial outreach across the Union Territory, covering 95 percent of Panchayats and reaching 2,51,352 individuals so far. He added that the Mission YUVA mobile application has recorded 2,20,928 downloads, reflecting a 47 percent increase during the last one month.

The meeting was further informed that the campaign’s focused outreach initiatives have yielded encouraging results. Around 47,672 students have been covered through college-level engagements, while 1,97,400 women associated with Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been reached through targeted awareness programmes.

These efforts have resulted in 1,937 SHG credit applications and facilitated handholding support to 6,281 sanctioned applicants, registering significant growth over the previous month.

Regarding institutional strengthening, the meeting was apprised that 187 posts have been filled out of 367 sanctioned positions under SBDU/BHD recruitment, while 180 posts remain vacant. Officials informed that 28 percent of these posts have been filled since the last Apex Committee meeting, increasing the number from 90 to 187.

Similarly, under Motivator empanelment, 582 motivators have been empanelled out of 1,000 sanctioned positions, including 65 Lakhpati Didis, while 418 positions are yet to be filled.

It was also informed that 13 out of 20 districts have completed the establishment of SBDU centres, while the remaining centres in Jammu, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Reasi, Samba, Udhampur and Anantnag are at various stages of completion. All 20 SBDU centres are expected to become operational by March 20, 2026.

The meeting was further informed that Mission YUVA has recorded steady growth in registrations, applications and loan disbursements over the past months. As of March 6, 2026, the number of registrations has reached 1,83,306, while 72,037 applications have been received under the scheme.

Out of these, 56,167 applications have been verified by SBDUs, while 50,743 have been approved by District Level Implementation Committees (DLICs). Banks have sanctioned 18,093 loans, out of which 15,192 loans have been disbursed, resulting in the establishment of 3,187 enterprises, with 2,053 more currently under implementation.

The meeting was also informed that applications for neo-innovative enterprises have witnessed significant growth, increasing from 119 on January 19, 2026 to 364 by February 4, 2026, marking nearly a threefold increase within a short span.

Under the Mission’s five-year incubation target of 500 innovative enterprises, all 14 incubation centres have been onboarded, while 80 percent of these centres have already conducted InnovateX 1.0 awareness events. In addition, three evaluation committees have been empanelled for the Innovation and Sustainability Challenge.

Out of the 364 applications received, 86 have been shortlisted by the expert panel, while 30 applications have progressed to the final selection stage. The Selection Committee is expected to finalise the ventures for incubation by March 25, 2026.

While reviewing the overall progress, the Chief Secretary emphasised that Mission YUVA is a transformative initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship, generating employment opportunities and building a vibrant start-up ecosystem for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. He called upon all stakeholders to work in close coordination to achieve the objectives of the Mission in a time-bound manner.

Jammu, Mar 06: Squadron Leader Neha Devi, a Jammu Indian Air Force officer, has emerged as an inspiration for young women by completing seven marathons in just one year, balancing the roles of an officer, athlete, and mother.

Neha Devi joined the Air Force Academy in July 2013 while being nearly 10 kilograms overweight.

“Within a year, through sustained effort and training, she transformed herself and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in June 2014,” defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said.

By 2017, structured running and strength training had become an integral part of her routine. “Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when organised training was disrupted, she continued to maintain fitness through home workouts,” he said.

In 2021, Neha Devi participated in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (virtual edition) and secured the third position in her age category. She continued to feature among the top finishers in subsequent events, he said.

In 2023, she finished sixth overall in the Station Cross Country (10 km) and secured the third position overall in the Station Unity Run (21 km), where she was the only female participant, he said.

In January 2024, while pregnant, she decided to continue exercising under medical supervision, motivated by the need to challenge the social stigma surrounding physical activity during pregnancy. “At four months pregnant, she secured second position in the TCS 10K (virtual).”

Neha Devi delivered a healthy baby girl through a C-section in September 2024. “Despite the slow and painful recovery, she resumed training while balancing official duties and caring for her newborn.”

Within 15 months postpartum and without professional coaching, she completed the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2025 in 1 hour 35 minutes and the Kashmir Marathon 2025 in 1 hour 40 minutes, securing eighth position overall in the female category, including international athletes, he said.

Neha Devi secured third position in the Defence category at the Adani Marathon 2025 with a timing of 3 hours 42 minutes and completed a 100-km ultramarathon in 9 hours and 52 minutes, he added.

On January 24, during the 24-Hour Stadium Run in Delhi, she completed her first 100 km in 9 hours 52 minutes, narrowly missing the national qualification mark by 22 minutes, Lt Col Bartwal said.

Within days, she competed in the Indian Navy Half Marathon on February 2, 2026, where she secured the first position among the three services and finished fourth overall in the women’s open category with a time of 1 hour 32 minutes and 50 seconds.

Neha Devi now serves as an ambassador for youth and women in Jammu, motivating young girls to train, believe in themselves and break stereotypes, Lt Col Bartwal said.

“Motherhood does not limit potential, it multiplies it,” she said, emphasising her message of belief and consistency.

Jammu, Mar 06: Senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta on Friday expressed his gratitude to the President, prime minister and home minister after his appointment as the governor of Himachal Pradesh, calling the responsibility to serve the nation a matter of great pride.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary said, “Congratulations to Kavinder Gupta. Ladakh was a small area, and he is a capable person. From now on, people will also recognise his capabilities.”

Gupta said, as the governor of Himachal Pradesh, he will uphold the dignity of the Constitution and perform his duties with dedication, impartiality and commitment.

“It is a matter of great pride and responsibility for me to serve the nation in this important role,” he said.

Gupta also expressed special thanks to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their continuous guidance and full support during his tenure as the lieutenant governor (LG) of Ladakh. After serving the Union territory (UT) for over eight months, he resigned from the post of the LG on Thursday.

The 66-year-old Gupta was appointed as the Ladakh LG on July 18, 2025. He was the third LG since the UT was carved out of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

A senior BJP leader from Jammu, Gupta has previously served as deputy chief minister of what was formerly the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and as the speaker of the legislative assembly. He has also been the mayor of Jammu.

Vinai Kumar Saxena, the former LG of Delhi, has been appointed Ladakh’s next lieutenant Governor.

Choudhary, meanwhile, said Gupta’s appointment as the governor of Himachal Pradesh is a matter of pride for Jammu and Kashmir, as he is a “son of the soil”.