Small-scale industries are recognized as a country's social and economic backbone. These are industries where production, manufacturing, and service provision are performed out on a small or micro scale. Small-scale enterprises have a significant role in producing employment, improving people's financial status, developing rural areas, and minimizing regional imbalances in countries like India. SSIs are vital since they contribute to India's economic development and employment. It boosts the country's growth through enhancing urban and rural development. Small sized businesses play a vital role in assisting the government with infrastructure development and other development initiatives. Investment in During 2009-11 period the contribution of Small-Scale Industries have contributed a major part in employment, with an increase in number of units there is also an increase in the employment. However, in 2018-19 the number of SSI’s have sloped downwards due to the natural disaster of Covid-19 and political disturbances in the region, the total number of units remained only 19,546 (growth rate -39.23%), due to this number of employments also declines to 119978 lakhs (growth rate 1.1%). In 2019-20, there is slight increase in the number of units with a growth rate 0.69% as well as in employment generation. The total number of small-scale units at UT of J&k up to 2019-20 are 32,766 thousand the total employment generation is 204062 lakhs. It is also analysed that in terms of investment Jammu district leads the UT in terms of investment in SSI Sector as it accounts 67.31% followed by Kuthua 13.90%, Srinagar with 6.14%. Small scale industries help in reducing unemployment in India and increasing self-employment. The study is an attempt to analyse growth and performance of SSI’s in Jammu division and Kashmir division separately. The study has analysed that with an increase of SSI units there is also an increase in employment. Jammu and Kashmir is relatively a backward region; the workers are easily available in a huge scale. So, SSIs which are labour intensive and minimum capital investment businesses in nature suits properly with the region.
Key words: Investment, Employment Generation, Growth rate, Performance, SSI’s, Evaluation, Industrial Growth, UT of J&k.
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