In Jammu and Kashmir, Adviser to Lieutenant Governor K.K. Sharma today said that the Micro-industrial sector has a tremendous  potential to create employment opportunities for the educated unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir besides also contributing to the economy.<br />'' <br />''The Adviser was speaking at the Board of Directors Meeting of J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board (JKKVIB) in Srinagar today.<br />'' <br />''Vice Chairperson, JKKVIB, Dr Hina Bhat, Commissioner- Secretary of Industries and Commerce M K Diwedi and other senior officers participated in the meeting which was held through video conferencing.<br />'' <br />''The Adviser also directed the micro-industry to extend handholding support to the educated unemployed youth of the state, so that they can avail benefits from various schemes being implemented under the purview of Khadi and Village Industries sector.<br />'' <br />''He said that Micro-industries sector is a vibrant sector and has potential to generate employment opportunities and hence youth of the state must come forward to avail the benefits and the board should extend all possible help by way of extending help through various schemes meant for the creating employability in the youth.<br />'' <br />''Mr Sharma said that the board has also been designated as the Nodal Agency in J&K for implementation of various employment generation programmes for the youth especially the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).<br />'' <br />''He said that they should ensure the successful implementation of the various initiatives so that employment opportunities are created for the youth and aspiring entrepreneurs are also provided budgetary support.<br />'' <br />''The meeting was informed that the JKKVIB has been adjudged as best implementing  agency of PMEGP throughout the country during the year 2018-19.<br />'' <br />''It was also told that during the COVID Pandemic that board has manufactured 10 lakh and 85 thousand masks besides also ensuring  availability of sanitization suits.<br />'' <br />''Under Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), JKKVIB has given an amount of 56 crore rupees as margin money to 2,876 unit holders during 2018-19 creating employability of 17,196 educated youth.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Similarly during 2019-20, 1,776 unit holders have been provided assistance of 36 crore rupees as margin money which have created jobs for 14,048 youth.</span><br />