Srinagar:Jammu and Kashmir has become a focal point for major investments with requests pouring in from a wide range of entities, including Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, Dubai-based Emaar Group, Kandhari Beverages Private Limited and Welspun Group, aiming to set up ventures worth over Rs 1.23 lakh crore in the Union Territory, officials confirmed.
As of July 3, the Jammu & Kashmir government's single-window system received 6,909 applications, signalling a robust interest in industrial expansion. In the Jammu Division alone, proposals worth Rs 81,594.87 crore have been received, while the Kashmir Division attracted proposals worth Rs 41,633.09 crore.
Jammu, with 1,902 applications, is drawing larger industrial units, requiring a total of 39,484.94 kanals (equivalent to 4,935.61 acres) of land, primarily in Kathua district due to its strategic proximity to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Kashmir Valley received 5,007 applications, focusing on medium and small-scale ventures needing 29,375.89 kanals (3,671.98 acres) of land.
These ventures are anticipated to create employment opportunities for 4,69,545 people, with 2,17,760 jobs in Jammu and 2,51,785 in Kashmir. Over the past year, the Jammu division has seen investments exceeding Rs 21,000 crore materialise, including 15 major projects in Kathua's Bhagthali Industrial Estate alone, totalling Rs 14,594 crore either in production or nearing completion.
Notable among the upcoming projects is Muttiah Muralitharan’s Ceylon Beverages, which allocated 206 kanals for a Rs 1,600 crore aluminium can manufacturing and beverage filling unit in Kathua.