The HIDDEN Secret to Job Creation in J&K. MSME is a sector which can simultaneously ensure economic growth, job creation and seamless delivery of public goods and services in the world. And it is also most helpful in removing the economic inequality spread in the society, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha said while addressing NITI Aayog’s workshop on promotion of innovation, investment and industry in MSME sector at IIM Jammu. It is a sector that has made economic development inclusive in all countries, made the industry employment-friendly, and has also maintained a regional balance in many sectors of the world from the perspective of industrial development. The workshop aimed to explore challenges and opportunities in three key sectors of Jammu Kashmir’s Economy- Textiles, Food Processing and Tourism. In Switzerland, in the transformation in agriculture and tourism sectors in MSME, I read that ease of doing business, market access, digital transformation, administrative support, and innovation has given birth to major revolutionary changes. We have to understand that MSMEs is the reason behind the economic growth of all the big economies of the world. After many ups and downs, if there is any powerful basis for economic prosperity that has proved to be successful it is the small entrepreneur. If anyone has empowered the future of entrepreneurship, it is MSMEs. There has been a spurt in job creation and new innovations, and MSMEs are the one behind this too. If we look at the statistics, then MSMEs have a very important contribution to the world’s GDP. In India too, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi recognised the immense feelings of the MSMEs. After 2014, maximum support has been provided to the MSMEs. Today, MSMEs are becoming the most vibrant and dynamic sector of India’s economy. Looking at the statistics of MSMEs in India till March 20, 2025, there are 6 crore and 16 lakh MSMEs. There are micro enterprises, small enterprises and medium enterprises. Together these enterprises have given employmentb to 26 crore and 21 lakh people. All in all, these MSMEs are exporting goods worth more than Rs 12 lakh crore. In Jammu & Kashmir, there are around 7 lakh MSMEs. In this 5 lakh are micro enterprises. Around 11 lakh people are employed in MSME sector. After independence, Jammu and Kashmir is the first state which completed the incentive given for ten years in two-and-a-half years. Jammu and Kashmir is the first UT to score 97% in implementation of Ease of Doing Business. Many programs like public cluster, website for marketing have been organised in the recent past and artisans have been linked to these. In the Karkhandar scheme for artisans, the department has also been successful in getting the master artisans, who have kept the cultural heritage of Jammu & Kashmir alive with their creative talents, in preparing and teaching their art to the younger generation. Silk factory has been revived which was shut for a long time, LG said. Quality and original product benefits are beiing seen through GI tagging and QR code. Food processing is a big sector with many possibilities and we hope to do big. We are leading producers of apples, walnuts, cherries, pears, apricot, saffron, etc but a lot of waste also occurs, LG shared. We have increased the number of storage houses, but we need to add more. Tourism has increased in big numbers. Many big programmes have been held in J&K like the G20, and the benefits we have seen. The number of hotels have increased. More than 40,000 crore have been invested in the hotel industry in the last 4-5 years. Their stakeholders have increased like the cab walas and others. Be it business or development, it can only happen when there is peace, I say this again and again, said the Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha. Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India and no power in the world can separate it from India. And the future of Jammu and Kashmir also lies with India. And we must always keep in mind that the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir is the priority of the Prime Minister of India and the administration here is also committed to this, said the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha in his speech at NITI Aayog’s workshop on promotion of innovation, investment, and industry in MSME sector at IIM Jammu. The Workshop is a part of the NITI Aayog’s State Workshop Series – an initiative under State Support Mission.