Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 28: Expressing strong concern over the Government’s decision to freeze all vacant posts as part of its austerity measures, former minister and working president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Raman Bhalla, described the move as a cruel joke with the educated unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir who are already grappling with limited employment opportunities.
Addressing a public gathering at Channi Himmat in Jammu today, Bhalla said the decision would further aggravate the unemployment crisis in the Union Territory and diminish the hopes of thousands of qualified young men and women aspiring for Government jobs.
He urged the government to immediately review and withdraw the decision, arguing that austerity measures should not come at the cost of employment generation. Instead of freezing government posts, Bhalla said, the administration should focus on reducing extravagant expenditure incurred by the ruling establishment and the bureaucracy. “The burden of austerity should not be placed on the shoulders of unemployed youth. If the Government is serious about reducing expenditure, it should begin by curtailing unnecessary spending by the ruling elite and senior bureaucrats rather than blocking employment opportunities for deserving candidates,” he said.
Highlighting the growing unemployment challenge, Bhalla observed that joblessness among educated youth has emerged as one of the most pressing socio-economic issues not only in Jammu and Kashmir but across the country. However, he noted that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is particularly serious due to the region’s unique economic structure and limited private-sector opportunities.
Bhalla further said that thousands of vacancies across various Government Departments remain unfilled despite an acute shortage of staff in essential sectors such as education, healthcare, public administration and rural development. Calling for a long-term solution to the unemployment crisis, Bhalla demanded that the Govt should formulate and implement a comprehensive employment policy tailored to the needs of the J&K youth.
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