Pahalgam walks the path of youth development

Pahalgam, known globally for its scenic beauty, lush green meadows and gushing white waters of Lidder, is in the news due to the launch of various youth centered development projects.
Most recent developments have been planned with a focus on engaging young people, improving their skills and providing meaningful self-employment opportunities.
The district administration, through various government programs, has focused on the socio-economic development of Pahalgam aimed at engaging the youth in various economic activities so that the influx of capital due to tourism is infused towards local prosperity. The development plan focused on developing the skills of young people, so that they can leverage their skills to generate and engage in meaningful employment. At the same time, emphasis has been placed on the development of infrastructure for efficient service delivery and on the use of ICT technology to provide home-based services.
Pahalgam Homestays, the first initiative of its kind in JK’s UT, under the Crown of Incredible India project, is a government collaboration. and OYO groups to capitalize on the tourism potential of Pahalgam and ensure youth participation so that the local economy can reap the benefits of the initiative.
Under this initiative, budding young entrepreneurs are encouraged to convert one or two bedrooms in their house into tourist accommodation to provide hospitality to tourists visiting and staying at their homes during their stay in Pahalgam.
To this end, OYO, India’s best online hotel booking site, will connect the owner with tourists, who wish to experience the life and culture of Pahalgam in its purest form.
More than 15 of these owners already live on the online platform and several more are showing interest and eagerness to participate in the initiative, especially in urban areas. The initiative will not only promote rural tourism, but will also generate new opportunities and hopes for young people willing to join this viable economic activity.
There is a need for young people to fully understand the purpose and benefits of the program put in place by the government for them and come forward and engage in this viable economic activity. This will improve their economic situation, thus generating new hopes for generations to come.
Several awareness camps have been organized to encourage young people to take up self-employment opportunities offered by the government. Deputy Commissioner Anantnag has personally interacted with various stakeholders including aspiring youths, banks and relevant departments to remove bottlenecks hampering the sanctioning and disbursement of loan files. 45 people received financial assistance under the PMEGP for the establishment of nut processing units, formwork units, chainstitch units, service centers, etc. Similarly, 11 cases were sanctioned under the Mumkin scheme for financial assistance to young people for the purchase of utility vehicles.
A tehsil youth library is being built at a cost of Rs 1.93 crore by the Pahalgam R&B department. Once the library is functional, books and reading materials related to the competitions will be made available and accessible to young people wishing to participate in job-related or professional course competitions locally and nationally.
For now, Tehsildar Pahalgam hosts a group of 300 online fashion students and advises them on various competitions.