In loving memory of Dr. Priya Ranjan: A mentor who treated me like family

JAMMU: Chief Minister today chaired a review meeting to assess the progress of Mission YUVA, a flagship initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth across Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the real strength of Mission YUVA lies in the success stories emerging from the ground. ā€œWherever we find a speed breaker or friction, we will remove it swiftly,ā€ he said, emphasizing that seamless coordination between departments and banks is essential to ensure that young entrepreneurs succeed.

He underlined that although the Mission is still in its early operational phase, the results are encouraging. ā€œWe have been discussing this for some time. The actual operational duration of these schemes is barely a few months, and in any scheme, that is a very short life cycle. The first year or so is spent in learning and fine-tuning. To that extent, with more than 10,000 sanctions and around 600–670 disbursements, I believe the success of Mission YUVA will feed on itself,ā€ he said.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Secretary Labour & Employment Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, MD & CEO J&K Bank Amitava Chatterjee, vice chancellors of several universities, Deputy Commissioners, Mission Director Mission YUVA, Director JKEDI, MD JKRLM, Directors of IIT and IIM Jammu, and representatives of BISAG, NABARD and other concerned institutions.

Outstation officers participated via video conferencing. Earlier, Secretary Labour & Employment made a detailed presentation on the implementation status of Mission YUVA—from its conception to its evolution till date. He briefed the meeting about UDYAM Jagriti, a comprehensive awareness campaign, outlining its key features, phases and its role in amplifying success stories, objectives of district-level conferences and workshops, social media outreach and the dedicated mobile application.

The meeting discussed, threadbare, the next steps required to ensure the Mission’s successful implementation. It was informed that over 60,000 applications were received within just six months of the scheme’s launch.

The Chief Minister reviewed district-wise data of applications received over the last two years, the status of applications at various processing levels, average timelines for verification, week-on-week sanctioning trends by banks, progress at registration cells, training coverage and trainee monitoring.

J&K Bank also made a detailed presentation on the status of loan sanctions under Mission YUVA. It was informed that from the inception of the scheme, J&K Bank has sanctioned 10,172 cases, of which 9,393 have been collateral-free, reflecting strong institutional support for young entrepreneurs.

The Chief Minister directed all departments, financial institutions and implementation agencies to work in synergy and maintain momentum to ensure timely sanctions, smooth disbursal and robust monitoring mechanisms, enabling Mission YUVA to deliver transformative outcomes for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

Your voice can reach the world: At JK Monitor, we firmly believe that every well-researched idea has the power to inspire change beyond geographical boundaries. We are delighted to share an encouraging message from one of our esteemed contributors, Dr. Rakesh Verma (J&K Forest Services). ā€œHis article, ā€˜When Trees Become Rights-Bearing Citizens: A Lesson from Canada for India’s Ecological Future,’ published on JK Monitor, received appreciation from La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, the French non-profit organisation that founded and promotes the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights.ā€.  Read the message here
A Profound Loss: JK Monitor Mourns the Passing of Founding Chairman Dr. Priya Ranjan

We at JK Monitor are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our Founding Chairman, Dr. Priya Ranjan.IN LOVING MEMORY Dr Priya Ranjan

A brilliant mind who studied at Netarhat Residential School and graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur before earning his PhD from the University of Maryland, Dr. Ranjan chose to return to India and dedicate his life to teaching, research and social good.

His pioneering work in networked systems, AI, robotics and biomedical applications—especially computer-vision tools for early detection of cancer and heart disease—reflected his deep belief that advanced technology must serve humanity.

For more than 15 years at JK Monitor, he remained a loyal friend, mentor and collaborator, marked by rare humility, intellectual integrity and quiet generosity. His passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. Priya, you will be deeply missed. Your life continues to remind us that knowledge finds its highest purpose in the service of others.

— Team JK Monitor

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