The Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has undergone tremendous changes since 5th August 2019 with the new government coming into picture, said Shri Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary, Industry & Commerce, J&K during the inauguration of the J&K Week at the India Pavilion in EXPO2020 Dubai today. “This is the dawn of a new era which presents an opportunity to showcase the changes going on in the Union Territory”, he added.

The J&K Pavilion was inaugurated by Shri Ranjan Prakash Thakur along with Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner-General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Speaking further, Shri Thakur said, “We need to develop J&K into a modern, developed UT which is riding on the top of the heritage and hundreds of thousands of years of artwork and handicrafts.”

Talking about the growth trajectory of the Union Territory, he said, “Given the opportunities in the region, it is crucial to establish J&K as a modern, developed place which takes care of its economy and employment. At EXPO2020 Dubai, we are showcasing the rich heritage and the investment opportunities which have substantially evolved in the last 2 years.”

Shri Thakur also highlighted the investment opportunities in the region and said, “Various investment opportunities have opened up in the UT as mentioned by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Home Minister. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing major developments in line with the heritage of the region beautifully displayed at the pavilion.”

The secretary also talked about the sectors in J&K which have business potential for growth. Talking about the target sectors, he said, “Among the target sectors, tourism is one of the most crucial sectors we are aiming for growth. Kashmir valley will be a key destination for the development of Hotels, Hospitals, Handloom and Horticulture while Jammu will be focusing on growing sectors such as Production, Pharma, Inland Container Depot and Real Estate.”

“We have a direct flight between Sharjah and Srinagar which highlights the direct connectivity between the UAE and J&K and will be pivotal in sustaining continued access. Various investors in the GCC region such as Emaar, Noon, Lulu Group and DP World have already shown interest in J&K and will be important in driving the growth of the UT. Our delegation from J&K will be visiting various investors to discuss the opportunities that lie in the UT.”, he added.

As part of the J&K week, Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Union Territory of J&K along with other government officials from the UT will hold various G2B, B2G and G2G meetings and invite global investors to invest across key sectors like tourism, handloom & handicraft, food processing among others.

The J&K week at India Pavilion will also be visited by dignitaries including Shri Arun Kumar Mehta, IAS, Chief Secretary, UT J&K, Shri Sarmad Hafeez, IAS, Secretary Tourism, UT J&K, Shri Mehmood Ahmad Shah, Director Industries Kashmir, Shri Ghulam Nabi Yatoo, Director Tourism Kashmir, Shri Vivekanand Rai, Director Tourism Kashmir and Shri Bakshi Javed Humayun, Director SKICC, UT of J&K during the span of the week.

With the vision of expanding and sustaining growth, the UT of J&K is working towards creating an enabling and entrepreneurial friendly environment which will facilitate the sustainable growth and development of Industrial enterprises including Cottage and Village industries.

Jammu & Kashmir week will conclude on 13th January 2022.