Pulwama (KNO) : A youth from a remote village in Shopian district of south Kashmir, who was searching for a job couple of years ago, has become one among the major recruiter for youth at Lassipora industrial growth centre. Aijaz Ahmad Wani, 31, a resident of Keller village of Shopian, who started career as a medical representative on rupees 6000, has become a recruiter for, Divine Industries, an apparel business unit situated at Lassipora. Aijaz, who is chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) for Divine Industries, said that the unit was established in 2013. “I started with 4 people and had only 4 machines. Now around 60 people are working here on a decent monthly salary and they have more than 40 automatic machines,
” Aijaz said. Many entrepreneurs deal in ready made garment making here but what makes Divine different is that it has been well organized with a manufacturing unit spreading on 2 Kannals of land. The company brands its products- pants, coats, shirts, trousers and uniforms, under Divine tag. “The Divine trouser has become popular among locals touching every class of people. It captured a sizeable segment of market,” Aijaz said. After getting a good response from local market and registering an annual growth of 20% for last four years, the company is planning to enter national market. “We will work at national level by 2020,” he said, adding that they will recruit more people for its expansion.
An MBA, from central university of Pune, Aijaz left as sales trainer in a corporate company in Mumbai to start his dream project in Kashmir. The idea of establishing an apparel unit came to him after he saw a number of Kashmiri business men searching Mumbai markets for school uniforms. Subsequently, he applied in industries centre Pulwama for land and started construction on his project, which within only five years became a leading job provider for youth. Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, a father of four, is one such youth. He, after suffering losses in trade, became jobless.
it was on the insistence of a friend that he applied in Divine industries as tailor. Bhat is getting a monthly salary of rupees 16000. Bhat is quite satisfied with his job at Divine and said that they get other benefits from the company. " we get a rebate on every purchases we make in Divine," Bhat said, adding that the company provides them boarding and lodging facilities as well.(KNO)