Chief Minster, Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the government is working on various initiatives to create ample employment avenues for the youth.“I know unemployment is one of the biggest challenges for all of us and the government is working on various fronts to create adequate employment avenues for the youth,” the Chief Minister said in the Legislative Assembly while responding to supplementaries on a related question during the Question Hour.She said instead of indulging in blame-game over the issue of unemployment, “all of us should put in collective effort to confront this challenge.”Ms Mehbooba said the government is already made various interventions on this front. She said besides fast-tracking the recruitment in government departments, corporate houses have also been involved in creating employment opportunities for the local youth. “We have asked these corporate houses to train and engage the local youth through productive employment,” she said and added that even private educational institutions have been asked to engage J&K’s meritorious sportspersons in various capacities.
The Chief Minister said that every one can’t get a government job and other income generating avenues shall have to be explored to create economic avenues for the youth. “We have schemes like Udaan but what my government has tried to do, is to get the companies to J&K and train our youth here so that we are able to use their expertise in the state itself,” she said. “Otherwise, the youth who are trained under Udaan mostly are employed outside J&K.”She said under Udaan programme, Rs 2 to 3 lakh are given to the corporate houses outside the State by the Government of India for capacity building of J&K’s youth through skill development. “After completion of the training these youth are being engaged by these corporate houses, mostly outside the state, against a salary of Rs 10000 to Rs 20000 per month,” she said and added this salary is, however, proving very insufficient to sustain them outside the state and they want to return and work within the State.“We have now asked the corporate houses within the state to train these youth here and also provide them employment within the state,” she said.
The Chief Minister said the state government has also asked various corporate houses to adopt one Polytechnic each under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for “value addition” of these technical institutions. “30 such institutions have already been identified,” she said.“In this century, we still demand to get backward status for our areas,” she told the house, “but we need to move ahead.”Lauding the administration for their work, Ms Mehbooba said; “If we trust them, they will do wonders. I have told my officials to spend two days in the field to expedite the works on the ground. “Otherwise, you are aware how governments have been working J&K,” she said.Seeking cooperation and support from opposition to implement various initiatives taken by her government for entrepreneurship and skill development, Ms Mehbooba said; “We are not doing any project exclusively for any particular constituency. The steps taken by us are for the welfare of the people in every nook and corner of the State.” “If you have any idea which can ensure employment for our youth, please share it,” she urged lawmakers, both from the treasury and opposition benches.Maintaining that J&K has huge employment potential in tourism and hospitality sectors, she said, “these sectors are getting a boost and we will be bringing in trainers to train our youth in relevant trades so that they get employment immediately.”“The government is mulling to bring the local businessmen and corporate houses under various schemes who could later hire local youth for various jobs in tourism and hospitality sectors,” she said.