SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said Jammu and Kashmir must leverage its strengths, build stronger linkages with national institutions, and bridge the funding gap for startups and MSMEs to unlock the region’s full potential.
He was speaking at the “Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund Outreach” event in Srinagar, which brought together entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and policymakers for the first time in the Union Territory.
LG congratulated the Ministry of MSME, NSIC Venture Capital Fund Limited (NVCFL), JKEDI and the Department of Industries & Commerce for connecting J&K’s budding entrepreneurs with institutional investors.
“This landmark initiative will bridge the funding gap for MSMEs and startups and build awareness about equity-based financing,” he said.
Sinha noted that under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the ₹50,000-crore SRI Fund aims to enhance access to capital and promote growth-oriented MSMEs through a Mother–Daughter Fund model.
“A new era has begun for startups and small-scale industries. Investors must assess the true potential of J&K’s entrepreneurs with sensitivity and responsibility,” he added, urging venture capitalists to see industrial growth as a “duty towards the nation.”
Earlier in the day, the Lieutenant Governor inaugurated a 200-bedded Amandeep BR Medicity Hospital in collaboration with Ujala Cygnus Healthcare at Tengpora-Bemina Bypass, Srinagar.
He called for stronger public-private partnerships to improve health outcomes and ensure access to quality healthcare for all.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have built new medical colleges, thousands of health and wellness centres, and launched universal health coverage that now benefits around 90 percent of J&K’s population,” Sinha said.
He also urged for the judicious use of existing medical resources to serve patients with compassion and efficiency.
Later, the Lieutenant Governor attended the Foundation Day celebration of 13 States and Union Territories at Raj Bhawan, where he emphasised the importance of cultural unity and shared identity. “Our unity is the invisible power enabling us to work with a shared vision of a strong and Viksit Bharat. We must transform our diversity into a force of resilience and innovation,” Sinha remarked.
The day-long engagements reflected the administration’s focus on economic self-reliance, inclusive healthcare and cultural cohesion as key drivers of Jammu and Kashmir’s development journey.
