Jammu and Kashmir government has started identifying land for industrial parks under Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA). The scheme is a national initiative aimed at developing world-class plug-and-play industrial parks across the country to promote industrial growth, attract investments, and generate employment opportunities. With a total financial outlay of about ₹33,660 crore, the scheme aims to establish 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across the country till FY32. Up to 50 industrial parks will be taken up in the first phase through a challenge-based competitive selection process. Jammu and Kashmir has identified a land parcel measuring about 725 kanals at Vijaypur as a potential site for development of an industrial park under the scheme. Similarly, feasibility assessments are being undertaken for several identified land parcels, including sites at Anantnag, Budgam and Srinagar to evaluate their suitability for development of plug-and-play industrial parks in Kashmir. The proposed industrial estates would be equipped with all requisite infrastructure, utilities, logistics and support services, enabling industrial units to commence operations immediately upon allotment without facing procedural or infrastructural bottlenecks. The industrial parks can be an elixir for our economic revival. Geographical disadvantage has hindered the investment climate in Jammu and Kashmir. Our business is based on a fragile model. Tourism and service industries are the major revenue earners. We lag in the industrial setup. Manufacturing is almost zero. Our handicrafts are the silver lining. Our highways are prone to landslides, which hamper the flow of traffic. In this scenario, the only hope is the Kashmir train. The recent experiment of parcel trains has proved highly successful. We are now connected with the rest of the country. Jammu and Kashmir has been deprived of business confidence for the past 35 years. However, things have started opening up, and investments have started trickling in, particularly in the last five years. Jammu and Kashmir has attracted investments worth ₹10,516 crore since 2019. Of which, ₹3,407.63 crore had been invested in Kashmir, while Jammu received ₹7,108 crore. The investment in Kashmir stood at ₹164.37 crore in 2019-20, ₹148.89 crore in 2020-21, ₹125.87 crore in 2021-22, ₹737.36 crore in 2022-23, and ₹1,423.17 crore in 2024-25 (until February 25, 2025). The government needs to keep up the momentum and woo investors. Industrial parks can be a good start. It can help our manufacturing sector. The government should also announce a new scheme to promote local entrepreneurs so that more jobs can be created. If the industrial parks initiative clicks, it will help curb unemployment to a large extent. People are pinning hopes on the Modi government to make Jammu and Kashmir an economic and industrial hub. The Centre has a responsibility to encourage investors to pump money into Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the valley, which has suffered immensely in the last 35 years of terrorism. J&K needs a manufacturing base. We too want to become part of the economic success story.
Industrial parks
