Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore inaugurated

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated Rs. 12 crore building complex of Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore, Srinagar.

Addressing a function after inauguration Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has emphasized on evolving an entrepreneur friendly policy to pave the way for large scale development of Small and Medium Entrepreneur (SME) sector in the State. “There is a need of such a policy as would make the youth to opt for self employment ventures”, he added.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that efforts should be made to make the modus operandi of financing self employment ventures more easy, enabling the intending entrepreneurs to launch the units smoothly. “If we have to create incubations and modify the law and regulations to help develop Small and Medium Entrepreneur in the State, we have to take vigorous steps”, he added.

Omar said that he was keen to create a talent pool in the State so that investors and industrialists intending to launch projects in the State get trained, qualified and skilled human resources locally. He said that entrepreneur development institute can play a vital role in this regard by identifying the youth with entrepreneur spirit, imparting training to them and making them employable. He said that Entrepreneurship Development Institute has also a role in facilitating the trained youth to establish the ventures by helping them to get finances and other ingredients.

The Chief Minister said that his government was focusing on enhancing the opportunities of skill development by opening polytechnics and giving a fillip to the vocational education. “At one hand we are providing equal avenues to youth in the field of academics by establishing more and more colleges and universities, the Government is also expanding the orbit of technical institutions and ITIs”, he said and added that Government of India is equally helping the State to establish such institutions and upgrade the skill to increase employability of the youth. He referred to the establishment of Institute of Craft Development (ICD) at Nowshera, Srinagar, Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) and said that the Institute of Mass Communication (IMC), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) are in the pipeline, besides 18 polytechnics with the help of Union Government.

Addressing the function, the Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that the Entrepreneurship Development Institute will go a long way to help create entrepreneurship temperament in the Valley and help youth to develop skills.

Dr. Farooq said that there is urgent need of opening more such institutes in the State to train more and more youth and encourage self employment ventures. “This will also help to give a push to economic activities”, he added. He also emphasized the need for opening more technical colleges in the State saying that the answer to the problem of unemployment lies in the industrialization and technical advancement of the State.

The Union Minister assured all help to the Chief Minister from the Centre and said that he and Parliament Members from the State would endeavour to seek more central assistance to Jammu and Kashmir in the sectors of education and technology.

The Chief Secretary, S. S. Kapur who is also Chairman of Entrepreneurship Development Institute also spoke on the occasion and gave a resume of the establishing process of Entrepreneurship Development Institute at Pampore. He said that since the inception, the institute has produced successful entrepreneurs who are excelling and creating success stories for others. He said that he advised the management of the institute to organize regular interactions of the successful entrepreneurs and other entrepreneurs who could not make any dent. “This has helped to share the experience of successful entrepreneurs with others”, he added.