J&K Government and NSE sign MoU to Widen Capital Market Access for MSMEs

The Jammu & Kashmir Department of Industries and Commerce and the National Stock Exchange of India signed a memorandum of understanding to help small and medium enterprises gain better access to capital markets.

The agreement was formalised at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu in the presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Under the understanding, the NSE will conduct outreach programmes, training workshops, and awareness sessions covering compliance requirements and listing procedures. The Industries and Commerce Department will identify interested enterprises through its district and regional offices and guide them towards participation in these initiatives.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the partnership represents steady progress for the local business community. He noted, "This collaboration will help Jammu and Kashmir MSMEs explore listing on NSE and NSE Emerge. It will strengthen entrepreneurship, boost investment, and support employment generation across the Union Territory." He shared his remarks in a post on X.

The move arrives at a time when many MSMEs in Jammu and Kashmir continue to encounter hurdles in raising long term capital. Enterprises across traditional crafts, manufacturing, food processing and services often rely on informal channels or short term funding, limiting their scope for expansion. The agreement aims to create a clearer pathway for eligible businesses to consider listing on NSE platforms, including the SME focused NSE Emerge.

Officials said the initiative also aligns with the administration's efforts to formalise the business environment and draw new investment into the region. Recent industrial policies and support schemes have been framed to broaden economic opportunities and financial market access forms an important component of this approach.

Senior government functionaries and representatives from the NSE attended the signing ceremony. Those present included Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce Vikramjit Singh, officials from JKEDI and delegates from the exchange.