Srinagar: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday urged traders and entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir to embrace the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign and explore global markets for regional products.
Speaking at a conclave organized by the Federation of Trade and Industry of India (FTII) in Srinagar, Goyal said the central government was committed to boosting local industry and exports from the region.
“The conclave centred on the theme ‘Vocal for Local’, and everyone here pledged to promote indigenous products and take them global,” Goyal told reporters on the sidelines of the event.
The campaign, launched in 2020, encourages consumers to buy domestically produced goods while supporting small and medium enterprises in becoming globally competitive.
The minister said he met with local traders and business leaders to discuss ways of enhancing the export potential of Kashmiri products. He added that the government had invested in industrial development across the Union Territory, including sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and food processing.
“Through a ₹28,000 crore incentive scheme, industrial units have been developed in key sectors,” Goyal said, adding that Kashmir must move forward on the path of industrialization.
Referring to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Goyal condemned the incident and called it an assault on the region’s economy. “Kashmir has shown that it won’t be cowed by terrorism anymore,” he said.
He also credited the people of the Valley for their support of Operation Sindoor, a military response to cross-border terrorism. “The government has given a strong and fitting reply to Pakistan’s continued support for terror,” Goyal said.
