Srinagar, Feb 3: The Jammu and Kashmir government informed the Legislative Assembly that more than 5,400 industrial establishments have been registered across Anantnag and Kulgam districts, with targeted interventions underway to boost entrepreneurship in the region.

According to the Industries and Commerce Department, 5,109 units are registered in Anantnag and 351 in Kulgam. The government is supporting startups and first-generation entrepreneurs through policy and financial assistance under the J&K Startup Policy 2024–27, which includes seed funding, co-working spaces, mentorship, acceleration programmes, market access, and awards.
Twelve incubation centres have been established across educational institutions, including SKUAST-K, SMVDU, IIT Jammu, and the Universities of Kashmir and Jammu, providing infrastructure and mentoring. As of January 26, 2026, 1,256 startups have been registered in the Union Territory, including 60 from Anantnag and nine from Kulgam. One startup from Anantnag has received seed funding of up to Rs 20 lakh. Incubators have been granted Rs 200 lakh collectively to strengthen infrastructure.
Capacity-building efforts include 43 startup boot camps with 5,405 participants and eight mentorship programmes benefiting 548 individuals. Startups also participated in national events like Mahakumbh and Bengaluru Tech Summit, winning awards and forging linkages. GR8 Sports of Sangam, Anantnag, was declared Top Startup of the Year 2025 with a cash prize of Rs 50,000.
In terms of investment and employment, Anantnag’s registered industrial units attracted Rs 35,754 lakh and generated 20,732 jobs, while Kulgam units brought in Rs 4,242.44 lakh and 1,758 jobs. Over the past three years, 70 new units in Anantnag and 15 in Kulgam have been established. Under PMEGP and REGP, thousands of units received financial support totaling Rs 7,843.58 lakh.
To promote grassroots entrepreneurship, 720 outreach programmes were held in Anantnag and 385 in Kulgam, averaging more than two per panchayat. These measures aim to strengthen the industrial ecosystem, improve access to finance and mentorship, and encourage local enterprise development.