Under the scheme, which is likely to be kick started by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, at function to be organised by Jammu and Kashmir’s Entrepreneurship Development Institute (J&KEDI) on December 5, on the birth anniversary of Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah, at Jammu, youth will be given nearly Rs 3-10 lakh money to set up the income generating units in the state. The scheme will be implemented by J&KEDI which will not only prepare the project reports for the businesses and release the money, but will also identify the business which was viable.

However those who avail the benefit of the scheme will have to give an undertaking through a government employee that they will not take up any job in the government sector. In case it was found by the government that the person has taken up a job in the government resulting into the closure of business, it will be the government employee who will refund the money to government along with the market interest rate. State has kept a provision that the amount will be deducted from the salary of the government employee in case the youth fails to pay the money for taking up the government job.

“It is the only scheme of its kind in which we have made it mandatory upon the youth that they can’t take up the government job while pursuing the business. This is to ensure that there was a real self employment,” said Jammu and Kashmir’s Labour and Employment Minister, A G Malik.

According to officials, while in all other income generating units, the margin money and the seed money will be between Rs 3-5 lakh, which the youth don’t have to pay back to the government, in case of entrepreneurs who intend to build common facility centres like cold storage facilities for cut flowers, collection centre for packaging and grading of fruits, laboratories for agriculture and food items the amount of assistance will be 50 per cent of the project cost or a maximum of Rs 10 lakh. The Rs 10 lakh amount will also be non refundable.

State government is holding mega functions at both Srinagar as well as Jammu through the J&KEDI to announce the scheme. This is coming in the follow up of the announcement already made in budget by the Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather, that the NC-Congress government will launch Sher-i-Kashmir employment package on the name of NC founder, Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah. According to NC leaders, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, had even directed his party to get the youth registered at the offices of employment department asking them that state would be launching the employment package for the youth. ‘‘ We asked our workers to register the youth for the employment package,’’said, NC Provincial President, Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta.

However as of now the officials have kept the modalities of the scheme under warps and have only invited the applications from youth to get registered with the district employment and counseling centers asking them that they can take the benefit of the Sher-i-Kashmir employment and welfare programme. So far nearly 4 lakh youth in the state have registered with the state’s employment department, since August this year when the government announced in budget that it is launching She-i-Kashmir employment package. The registeration for the youth to avail the benefit of the package is open till November 22.

As per the guidelines which were acquired by The Indian Express, issued by the state’s labour and employment department, state government has asked the J&KEDI that it will have to provide not only the margin money and seed money to the youth, but will also assist them at every stage of setting as well as running of business. As per the guidelines issued, those who have taken the benefit of the scheme, their names will be deleted from the list of job seekers at the district employment and counseling centres.

“This is a scheme for which the government will itself ensure that the unit set up by the youth doesn’t go into any loss. The basic benefit of this scheme is that the entire package can be availed by an entrepreneur from one department only,” said Director, of the J&KEDI, M I Parray.

As per the eligibility criteria fixed by the government for availing the scheme, youth in the age group of 18-37 who have at least completed their matric education can avail the scheme. However there is no income ceiling on the scheme, with officials saying that even the children of senior government officials can take its benefit. Under the scheme the members of self help groups who have not availed the benefit of anyother scheme will also be eligible for assistance.