Jammu, Apr 19 (KNN) In a bid to bolster the digital commerce ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir, Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has urged local startups to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

Addressing a "Startup Initiative Review" event organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) on Thursday, Singh highlighted ONDC's role in democratising e-commerce and promoting inclusivity.

He positioned the network as a support system for non-digitised individuals, urging local startups to leverage its benefits.

“We will try to connect you with ONDC,” Singh told the participating startups, incubators and industrial associates.

“In a recent event with Walmart, 112 toy manufacturers got connected with the global supply chain for 10 years. The same will be done here. You need to take benefits from the Indian market, and gain control of the supply chain to India,” he added.

The event witnessed participation from several incubators, including the Islamic University of Science and Technology, SKUAST-K, and the University of Kashmir. Startups from sectors like logistics, e-commerce, food delivery, agriculture, tourism, mental health, and electric mobility showcased their offerings.

Singh urged the entrepreneurs to focus on the booming tourism industry and cricket bat manufacturing, emphasising the need to leverage social marketing techniques for promotion. He also stressed the importance of studying market dynamics, citing the example of the apple variety Herman-99, which can be grown anywhere, highlighting the changing competitive landscape.

Addressing the clean energy transition, the Joint Secretary encouraged the startups to focus on meeting Europe's renewable energy targets.

The participating startups shared their challenges and concerns regarding competing at the national level during the interactive session.

JKEDI, the nodal agency for implementing Jammu and Kashmir's startup policy, facilitated the "Startup Initiative Review" event, underscoring the government's commitment to fostering entrepreneurship in the region.

(KNN Bureau)