Avinav Verma
Jammu:Nearly 90 per cent of industrial units established in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019 are owned by local entrepreneurs, according to a report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs presented in Parliament.
The report, presented to the Rajya Sabha on August 7 and laid on the table of the Lok Sabha the same day, said that 2,279 industrial units were established in Jammu and Kashmir between 2019-20 and 2025-26, of which 2,056 were local units and 223 were non-local units.
The figures mean that local entrepreneurs account for around 90.2 per cent of the industrial units established during the period, while non-local entrepreneurs account for about 9.8 per cent.
According to the committee’s findings, these industrial units attracted a cumulative investment of ₹16,598.97 crore and generated 75,848 jobs during the seven-year period.
The data showed that 302 industrial units were established in 2019-20, including 292 local and 10 non-local units, generating 3,525 jobs against an investment of ₹296.64 crore.
In 2020-21, a total of 310 units were established, of which 305 were local and five were non-local. The units attracted ₹412.74 crore in investment and generated 3,697 jobs.
The number of units stood at 175 in 2021-22, including 167 local and eight non-local units, with an investment of ₹376.76 crore and employment generation of 2,357.
A sharp increase was recorded in 2022-23, when 629 industrial units were established, including 581 local and 48 non-local units. These units attracted ₹2,153.45 crore in investment and generated 15,719 jobs.
In 2023-24, 234 units were established, including 187 local and 47 non-local units. The year recorded the highest employment generation in the period, with 29,969 jobs, against an investment of ₹3,389.37 crore.
A further 405 units were established in 2024-25, comprising 346 local and 59 non-local units. They attracted ₹4,145.59 crore and generated 11,396 jobs.
In 2025-26, 224 units were established, including 178 local and 46 non-local units, with investment reaching ₹5,824.42 crore and employment generation standing at 9,185.
The report also highlighted the progress made under the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS-2021), notified by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to promote industrial investment and strengthen the industrial ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.
The scheme has a total financial outlay of ₹28,400 crore and provides incentives including Capital Investment Incentive (CII), Capital Interest Subvention (CIS), GST Linked Incentive (GSTLI) and Working Capital Interest Subvention (WCIS).
According to the report, 971 units have been registered under NCSS-2021, with 754 classified as local and 217 as non-local.
These registered units have proposed employment for 51,897 persons, including 20,629 jobs proposed by local units and 31,268 by non-local units.
The report further said that incentives amounting to ₹951.03 crore had been approved under NCSS-2021 since its inception for 3,338 cases.
This included ₹373.31 crore under Capital Investment Incentive for 270 cases, ₹108.23 crore under Working Capital Interest Subvention for 1,512 cases, ₹174.88 crore under Capital Interest Subvention for 615 cases and ₹294.61 crore under GST Linked Incentive for 941 cases.
The annual data showed that incentive approvals increased substantially over the period. In 2025-26 alone, incentives worth ₹514.47 crore were approved across 1,651 cases.
The Parliamentary panel welcomed the progress made in industrial development and investment promotion in Jammu and Kashmir, noting the participation of both local and non-local entrepreneurs.
It commended the Government and the Union Territory Administration for creating an enabling industrial ecosystem through approval and disbursement of incentives, which, it said, had attracted investment, facilitated the establishment of new industrial units and generated employment.
However, the committee stressed that sustained policy support and efficient implementation would remain important to maintain the momentum of industrial growth.
It recommended that incentives under NCSS-2021 continue to be sanctioned and disbursed in a timely and transparent manner, with particular emphasis on local entrepreneurship, MSMEs, start-ups and employment-oriented industries.
The panel also called for focused efforts to strengthen industrial infrastructure, improve ease of doing business and develop skills in line with industry requirements.
It further recommended encouraging value-added manufacturing so that industrial growth translates into broad-based and sustainable socio-economic development across Jammu and Kashmir.
