Valley entrepreneurs seek loan interest waiver

Tribune News Service

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Srinagar, November 23

The Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurs Development Association (JKEDA) today staged a demonstration, seeking waiver on the interest amount incurred on their bank loans in the past four months of unrest in Kashmir. JKEDA is a group of 2,300 young entrepreneurs, who have surrendered their degree certificates to the government in lieu of financial assistance for their business startups.

Several entrepreneurs assembled at Press Enclave in Srinagar. They raised slogans against the state government and J&K Bank for not addressing their problems. “The government is cutting our roots by not waiving the interest on the loans we have taken up to start our business ventures,” JKEDA chairman Aijaz Ahmad said.

After the Chief Minister’s office turned a blind eye towards their requests, he said entrepreneurs were forced to come on streets to hold the protest.

He said they were educated youth of the Valley who have sacrificed their education for taking up entrepreneurship as their carrier and to provide livelihood to numerous locals by giving them employment.