Jammu And Kashmir Emerges As India’s New Growth Engine

Jammu and Kashmir has entered a caller epoch of economical maturation and societal transformation, marking a departure from decades of struggle and underdevelopment. Once defined by unrest, the Union Territory is present charting a aboriginal of stability, opportunity, and progress.

Since 2019, sweeping structural reforms, targeted argumentation interventions, and large-scale infrastructure investments person reshaped the region’s economical trajectory. The years from 2021–22 to 2024–25, successful particular, people a play of singular expansion, characterised by beardown maturation successful Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), record-breaking tourism numbers, rising investments, and notable improvements successful the societal sector.

At existent prices, Jammu and Kashmir’s GSDP is projected to scope ₹2.65 lakh crore successful 2024–25. Post-pandemic maturation has consistently exceeded 7% annually, driven by infrastructure spending, concern activity, and a revival of accepted sectors specified arsenic horticulture and handicrafts.

A cardinal origin down this maturation is the operation of stronger governance, improved bid and security, and well-designed payment programs. Initiatives specified arsenic cosmopolitan wellness sum nether Ayushman Bharat, expanded entree to cleanable drinking water, and the operation of implicit 1.7 lakh houses nether the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) person importantly raised surviving standards. More than 30,000 caller authorities jobs person further strengthened societal stability.

The entrepreneurial tone of the portion has besides been harnessed. Since 2019, much than 650 startups person registered successful Jammu and Kashmir, signalling innovation-led maturation alongside accepted industries.

Industrial improvement remains astatine the bosom of this transformation. The Industrial Policy 2021–30 and the New Central Sector Scheme person introduced beardown incentives, including subsidies, superior support, and involvement subventions. By December 2024, concern proposals worthy ₹1.63 lakh crore had been received, with the imaginable to make astir six lakh jobs. Already, adjacent to 2,000 concern units person go operational, highlighting a tangible displacement successful the economical landscape.

Tourism—long the backbone of the section economy—has witnessed historical highs. In 2023, the Union Territory welcomed a grounds 2.11 crore visitors, the highest ever. Confidence successful information and amended connectivity person revived year-round tourism, with wintertime sports successful Gulmarg, eco-tourism circuits, and solarized spiritual sites attracting divers visitors. The G20 Tourism Working Group gathering successful Srinagar further placed the Valley connected the planetary tourism map.

Infrastructure improvement has been different game-changer. Landmark projects specified arsenic the Chenab Railway Bridge—the tallest obstruction span successful the world—the Zojila and Z-Morh tunnels, and expanded highways similar NH-44 person revolutionised connectivity crossed the Himalayas.

In parallel, vigor information is being reinforced. Major hydropower projects, including Ratle, Kishanganga, and Pakal Dul, are acceptable to fortify the powerfulness sector. Solar initiatives astatine spiritual and tourer sites adhd to sustainability efforts.

Digital translation is advancing rapidly. The BharatNet project, the rollout of much than 1,100 services connected the eUNNAT portal, and the inclusion of Jammu and Srinagar successful the Smart City Mission person ushered successful modern integer governance and improved work delivery.

Air connectivity has besides expanded, with upgrades to airports successful Srinagar, Jammu, and Leh supporting some civilian and defence requirements. Logistics parks and planned metro obstruction projects successful Srinagar and Jammu item a imaginativeness for integrated and futuristic municipality transport.

These infrastructure improvements person created beardown multiplier effects crossed the economy. Reduced logistics costs, faster marketplace access, and amended connectivity person spurred trade, tourism, and horticulture exports, particularly apples and saffron.

Employment procreation has people followed. Thousands of jobs person been created successful construction, logistics, tourism, and MSMEs, portion agrarian communities person gained caller opportunities successful non-farm sectors.

The improved concern clime further supports this maturation story. Simplified clearances done a Single Window system, concessional onshore rates, SGST reimbursements, and proactive policies person transformed the easiness of doing business. Already, astir ₹9,600 crore worthy of proposals person materialised, starring to astir 2,000 operational units employing implicit 63,000 people.

Looking ahead, the region’s maturation prospects look adjacent brighter. The find of lithium reserves successful Reasi territory promises to marque Jammu and Kashmir a strategical contributor to India’s cleanable vigor transition. Expanding hydropower, Smart City projects, and younker grooming successful artificial intelligence, unreality computing, an...