CM’s marathon participation projected Kashmir as safe: LG

Jammu, Jan 26: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said that the participation of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Kashmir Marathon ìreinforced confidence, unity, and projected Kashmirís image as a safe, open, and welcoming tourism destination.î

He made these remarks during his Republic Day address at M A Stadium, Jammu, while spelling out efforts of the government to promote tourism in J&K following the Pahalgam terror setback.

ìThe Kashmir Marathon is being developed as a flagship initiative for sports tourism and destination branding, projecting Kashmir as a global hub for sports and wellness tourism. The participation of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah further reinforced confidence, unity, and projected Kashmirís image as a safe, open, and welcoming destination. The maiden edition of the Jammu Marathon has been formally launched and is scheduled for March 2026,î the LG said.

In the same breath, he also mentioned the governmentís flagship programmes.

ìThrough the Mission YUVA Programme, we are empowering the aspirations of our youth by providing skill development, comprehensive mentorship, and financial support to promote entrepreneurship. This flagship initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to harnessing the immense potential of young minds as a catalyst for economic growth, social stability, and nation-building in J&K,î LG Sinha said.

Under its capacity-building component, a hybrid entrepreneurship development course was introduced, through which over 5000 youth completed training, strengthening the foundation for sustainable self-employment and enterprise creation, he said.

ìUnder the mission, 1.35 lakh entrepreneurial units were targeted to be created, and 4.5 lakh youth were envisaged to be provided employment,î the LG said.

ìWithin its very first year of implementation, over 1.51 lakh youth have registered on the platform. Of these, 61,941 youth have applied under various credit-linked schemes, and more than 12,000 cases have already been sanctioned by banks, involving loans exceeding Rs 800 crore,î he said.

LG Sinha said that merit-based recruitment was ensured for 7650 government positions during 2025, while the recruitment process for an additional 23,800 posts was currently underway, reinforcing transparency and fairness in public employment.

He said that during 2025, 910 compassionate appointments have been provided, enabling families to lead dignified lives following the untimely loss of primary breadwinners.

This includes 464 cases of Next of Kin (NoK) of terror-affected families, including victims of the Kathua incident, ëOperation Sindoorí, and the Nowgam incident, ensuring timely relief and employment support to families affected by violence and tragedy.

The LG also referred to achievements in the agricultural sector.

On this account, he specifically referred to the Yellow Revolution, which he said emerged as a significant new source of income for farmers in Kashmir.

LG Sinha said that an industrial transformation was underway in J&K.

He said that since 2020, 2227 industrial units in the organised sector, involving an investment of Rs 15,940 crore and generating employment for 73,827 persons, commenced production. Additionally, 1028 units with a proposed investment of Rs 27,613 crore have initiated groundwork, of which 396 units, with an investment of Rs 9949 crore, are expected to commence production by March 2026.

The LG said that claims worth Rs 805 crore had been approved under the New Central Sector Scheme.

ìFurther, 1316 J&K-based startups have been registered on the DPIIT (Startup India) portal, including 471 women-led startups, reflecting growing entrepreneurial momentum and national recognition,î he said.

The achievements related to health, sports, urban development, handicrafts and other crucial sectors also found mention in his address.