SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) has greenlit six Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) totaling Rs 36 crore under the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP). This initiative aims to significantly expand rural non-farm livelihood opportunities across the Union Territory.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the approvals were finalized during a meeting of the UT-Level Steering Committee (Non-Farm Livelihoods) held in Srinagar. The committee was chaired by Mohammad Aijaz Asad, Secretary of the Rural Development Department (RDD) and Panchayati Raj. The approved DPRs will facilitate the establishment of new SVEP blocks in Sogam-Wavoora, Pulwama-Litter, Chadoora-Surasyar, Khour-Paragwal, Pouni-Reasi, and Bhadarwah-Bhalla. These projects are projected to foster the creation of over 12,000 new enterprises over the next four years.
The SVEP, operational in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2015-16 fiscal year, has received technical backing from National Resource Organisation (NRO) partners, including the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII). The program initially commenced in pilot blocks of Lar in Ganderbal district and Basohli in Kathua district, where approximately 2,500 entrepreneurs were established during its inaugural phase. With the recent approvals, the SVEP’s reach will extend from eight to 14 districts within the Union Territory.
The steering committee meeting was attended by key officials, including Shubhra Sharma, Mission Director of JKRLM, and Rajneesh Gupta, Chief Operating Officer of HIMAYAT. Representatives from various government departments were also present, including the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, Tribal Affairs, Social Welfare, Handicrafts and Handloom, Industries and Commerce, MSME, KVIC, NABARD, and RSETIs.
According to official sources, the sanctioned DPRs prioritize the development of enterprises that leverage local resources and cater to market demands. These include ventures such as walnut oil and butter extraction, sheep wool processing, trout fish processing, eco-tourism homestays, vermi-compost production, saffron value addition, herbal tea processing, amla-based product manufacturing, and honey processing.
Addressing the committee, Secretary Mohammad Aijaz Asad emphasized that the selection of new enterprises must be driven by prevailing local demand patterns and rural consumption trends to ensure their economic sustainability. He underscored the critical need for establishing robust market linkages, promoting value addition, and ensuring the generation of sustainable livelihoods for the region’s rural youth and women.
Officials further informed the meeting that the non-farm livelihood initiatives implemented under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and SVEP have so far provided support to a total of 26,551 enterprises in Jammu and Kashmir. This includes 26,217 individual enterprises and 355 group enterprises.
The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) operates as a sub-scheme under the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) of the Ministry of Rural Development. Its primary objective is to foster and promote entrepreneurship among members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their families in rural areas.
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