 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 29: The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), marking 100 years of service to the nation, successfully organised ICC Rising Jammu & Kashmir 2026, a high-level multi-session conference aimed at reimagining economic growth and strengthening the development ecosystem of the Union Territory under the Chairmanship of Rahul Sahai Chairman ICC Jammu.
The day-long programme brought together policymakers, senior administrators, bankers, industry leaders, startup founders, professionals, academia, and students to deliberate on key growth drivers including MSMEs, startups, urban governance, IT & ITES, and the power sector.
The event was formally inaugurated by Shri Vikramjit Singh, IPS, Commissioner/Secretary, Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, as the Chief Guest. The inaugural session was further graced by Mr. Rahul Yadav, IAS, Managing Director, J&K Power Development Corporation Limited, and Dr. Devansh Yadav, IAS, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, as Special Guests in the presense of Rahul Sahai Chair ICC jammu and Debmalya banerjee Regional director ICC Northern region
Vikramjit Singh, IPS, Commissioner/Secretary, Department of Industries & Commerce as chief guest congratulated ICC for doing a conference on relevent topics on muncipal byelaws , power , msme funding , startup ecosystems and IT ITes industries scope in J&K , he further reiteriated that industrial ecosystem will improve day by day and obstacles will be removed and after deleberations a robust Ut industrial policy will be launched .
Addressing the gathering, ICC leadership highlighted that Rising Jammu & Kashmir reflects the region's evolving economic narrative-driven by policy reforms, infrastructure development, growing investor confidence, and a young, aspirational population. The focus on MSMEs, startups, IT & ITES, clean energy, and urban reforms underscores J&K's commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready growth.
The first technical session Building a Resilient J&K Economy featured a balanced panel representing banking, academia, startups, MSMEs, and government. Panelists included Sandeep Sharma, Zonal Head - ICICI Bank (J&K & Ladakh); Prof. Alka Sharma, Dean - Business Studies & Director, SIIEDC, University of Jammu; Suhel Ahmad Lone, DGM, J&K Bank; Arush Mahajan, Vice President, J&K Startups Association; Vinu Jee Koul, Assistant Director, MSME-DFO Jammu (GoI); and Debmalya Banerjee, Regional Director, ICC Northern Region.Discussions focused on skill development, youth entrepreneurship, startup incubation, access to credit, digital banking, and policy support-key pillars for building a resilient and inclusive economy in Jammu & Kashmir.
The second session addressed "Understanding Municipal Bylaws in Jammu: Framework, Compliance & Opportunities", a topic of direct relevance to businesses, professionals, and citizens Dr. Devansh Yadav, IAS, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, chaired the session as Chief Guest, joined by Manoj Gupta, Senior Town Planner, JMC, and Ar. Vishal Abrol, Founder & Chief Architect, TRIKONE, and Vice Chairman, Indian Institute of Architects (J&K Chapter).The session focused on building permissions, zoning, trade licensing, signage norms, digital governance initiatives, and simplifying compliance to improve ease of doing business and enable planned urban growth.
Session three highlighted the transformative potential of the IT & ITES sector in creating high-value jobs, retaining local talent, and positioning Jammu as a competitive services hub.Speakers included Sandeep Sharma, COO, RVS IT Limited (RVS Global), and Rimjhim Ray, Co-founder, Spotle AI & Heyo, and Partner, Goa Angel Network. The discussion covered the J&K IT/ITES Policy 2020, startup incentives, NCSS support, skill development, and future-ready domains such as AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. |
