Dulloo calls for greater focus on Quality, Capacity Building, Timely Credit Flow
Srinagar: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday chaired a meeting of the Apex Level Committee for Mission YUVA in Jammu, focusing on the mission’s progress and issuing directives to enhance its implementation across the Union Territory.
Addressig the meeting attended by key officials from various departments, universities, and financial institutions, Chief Secretary highlighted the importance of targeting specific groups such as college students, Self Help Group members, artisans, and nano-enterprises for development. Dulloo highlighted the necessity of preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) to reduce business failure risks and called for continuous capacity building for applicants. He urged banks to expedite the clearance of pending applications and assist in DPR preparation, noting that high-quality DPRs are crucial for transforming ideas into viable businesses. Additionally, he stressed the need for financial institutions to fast-track loan approvals to prevent delays for eligible youth.
Principal Secretary of Finance, Santosh D. Vaidya, pointed out that the program’s success relies on three key pillars: youth skilling, financial support from banks, and robust market linkages. He advocated for utilizing existing institutional frameworks to ensure the program’s objectives are realistic and attainable.
The Director of IIM Jammu suggested implementing a year-long capacity-building calendar for stakeholders, detailing training topics and expert resource persons. Secretary of Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, said that Mission YUVA has received over 42,000 applications, with significant interest in nano enterprises and MSMEs. The YUVA portal has seen over 90,000 registrations, with a substantial number of applications verified and approved. Banking data revealed that 15,771 applications worth over Rs 1,071 crore have been submitted, with a notable number already sanctioned and disbursed, indicating a positive trend in youth entrepreneurship. The mission’s digital engagement is also noteworthy, with the YUVA mobile app surpassing 50,000 downloads and the portal attracting over 900,000 visitors, enhancing transparency and accessibility for youth empowerment. The Chief Secretary concluded the meeting by reviewing the live YUVA Dashboard, which tracks district-wise performance in applications, credit flow, DPR generation, and youth skilling activities, while also assessing the status of DLIC clearances and banking pendencies.