The industrial estates spread across the Kashmir Valley were envisioned as engines of economic growth, local entrepreneurship, and job creation. Over the years, the government has invested heavily in these estates with the intent to provide budding entrepreneurs the infrastructure and space they need to launch and grow their ventures. However, there is growing concern that many of these units have either turned defunct or remain under the control of individuals who have no genuine interest in industrial activity, thereby wasting crucial public resources.
It is time the government of Jammu and Kashmir takes a firm and transparent approach by conducting a comprehensive audit of all industrial estates in the Valley. This audit must not be symbolic—it should be real, data-driven, and geared towards reclaiming and reviving the spirit of entrepreneurship. Every allotted unit must be scrutinised to ascertain its operational status, ownership authenticity, and actual economic contribution. There is credible evidence and complaints from young entrepreneurs suggesting that many units remain locked, leased out informally, or used for purposes unrelated to industrial production.
At a time when Kashmir’s youth are hungry for opportunities and the region desperately needs local employment generation, keeping these industrial units in limbo is nothing short of criminal neglect. If an audit reveals that any unit is lying defunct for years, or the ownership is dubious or exploitative, immediate cancellation of allotment must follow. These valuable spaces should not be the preserve of absentee or inactive stakeholders.
Instead, the government must open the doors for fresh, young entrepreneurs—those who have the zeal, ideas, and energy to bring life back into Kashmir’s industrial ecosystem. Priority should be given to startups and local business plans with potential for employment generation and value addition.
This is not merely a matter of administrative housekeeping. It is about restoring the credibility and functionality of the region’s industrial policy. It is about giving our youth a fair chance at entrepreneurship and reducing their dependence on government jobs. It is about ensuring that public assets serve public interests.
The time for rhetoric has passed. Let the administration act decisively. A full-scale audit followed by reallocation based on merit and commitment can breathe new life into Kashmir’s industrial estates—and, more importantly, into the aspirations of a restless and talented generation.
