Srinagar: Across the Kashmir Valley, in districts stretching from Baramulla and Kupwara in the north to Shopian and Pulwama in the south, a subtle social shift is quietly unfolding.

Youth once drawn into street protests and occasional stone-pelting are now being drawn toward structured skill-building and livelihood programmes, offering alternatives to unrest and a chance at stable employment.

Since 2019, the Jammu & Kashmir government has expanded ‘Mission Youth’, a comprehensive programme aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, vocational training, and self-employment among unemployed youth.

Complementary initiatives, including the ‘Mumkin’ and ‘Tejaswini’ schemes, provide subsidies and loans to young men and women seeking to establish small businesses or gain vocational skills. NGOs work

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