Opinion | Empowering Youth: A Path to Progress

جوانوں موڑنا ہے رخ زمانے کا تو موڑا گر تم موڑ نہ سکے تو پھر تم جوان ہی کیوں

Helping one person to settle down in life might not change the world, but it could change the world for them.

Youth is undoubtedly the ultimate power of a nation. When the youth are empowered, no force in the universe can defeat that nation. In Kashmiri wisdom, there is a saying that while caring for the elderly is valuable, it does not shape the future as they naturally grow old and depart; serving children is noble, but they often forget the lessons of their upbringing. However, investing in youth leaves a permanent mark on the nation.

In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once gently joked with an elderly lady who asked if she could enter Jannah (paradise). He replied, “No old person can enter Jannah.” Distressed, she began to weep, but the Prophet reassured her, explaining that Allah would make everyone young again before entering Jannah. This underscores the vitality and potential of youth as the lifeblood of any nation.

Governments across the globe have always sought to empower youth, recognizing them as the cornerstone of a nation’s development. However, youth have also been exploited emotionally by political leaders for personal agendas. In India, numerous initiatives have been launched to uplift the younger generation. A notable example is the Stand Up India scheme introduced in 2016, which aimed to support entrepreneurship among women and marginalized communities, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Building on such efforts, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has recently introduced the YUVA Udyami Vikas Abhiyan 2025. This scheme stands out as one of the most innovative and impactful initiatives to date. Its primary objective is to transform the youth of Jammu and Kashmir from job seekers into job creators.

In this region, there exists a stereotype that individuals not employed in government jobs are considered unemployed. This mindset is detrimental and limits opportunities for growth. The YUVA Udyami Vikas Abhiyan aims to dismantle this misconception. According to a document issued by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning, Development, and Monitoring Department, the scheme aspires to establish around 1.5 lakh nano, micro, and small enterprises, thereby creating approximately 4.5 lakh employment opportunities.

The government plans to conduct a comprehensive baseline survey of existing enterprises and households across the Union Territory to identify challenges faced by businesses and potential entrepreneurs. The survey will guide the roadmap for the scheme, enabling the creation of a database of aspiring entrepreneurs.

Nano, micro, and small enterprises are pivotal drivers of economic growth, offering employment opportunities across all skill levels and contributing significantly to the nation’s development. Collecting data on these enterprises is essential for effective policy formulation.

Key Objectives of the YUVA Udyami Vikas Abhiyan:

1. Cultivating an entrepreneurial culture among citizens, particularly the youth, by creating an enabling environment for new and existing enterprises.

2. Establishing a One-Stop Portal for Scheme Convergence to streamline access to relevant schemes, maximize the impact of government interventions, and facilitate credit delivery.

3. Enhancing entrepreneurial capacity and market presence through common branding and support.

4. Promoting innovation and sustainability to drive economic growth.

5. Providing collateral-free microfinancing support to nano-entrepreneurs with subsidized interest rates.

6. Fostering enterprises in emerging and sunrise sectors by offering interest subvention in convergence with capital investment subsidies.

Once the survey is finalized, the government will identify the potential of the youth and help them realize their dreams, which, in turn, will bolster the country’s economy. Nations like China have achieved tremendous progress by empowering their youth and leveraging their hard work.

As Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal aptly said:
عقابی روح جب بیدار ہوتی ہے جوانوں میں
نظر آتی ہے ان کو اس پانی منزل آسمانوں میں

(“When the eagle’s spirit awakens in the youth, they envision their destination beyond the skies.”)

To conclude, as a responsible citizen of Jammu and Kashmir, I urge every resident to cooperate with the surveyors and support this initiative. By doing so, we can pave the way for a prosperous future for our youth and contribute significantly to the nation’s GDP.

(The writer is an academician, social activist, and trade union leader and can be reached at lonenaziagul@gmail.com.)