*Calls for impact assessment of self-employment schemes
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 5: In a bid to create ample job opportunities for the unemployed youth of the State, the Government will consider revival of the Jammu & Kashmir State Overseas’ Employment Corporation Limited (JKSOECL) to facilitate placement of skilled manpower within and outside the country.
The Advisor to the Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, said this while reviewing the functioning of the Labour & Employment Department, here today.
The meeting was attended by the Commissioner/Secretary, Labour & Employment, Saurabh Bhagat, Labour Commissioner, Bashir Ahmed Khan, CEO, J&K Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, Muzaffar Ahmad Pir, Director J&K EDI, M. I. Parray, Director, Employment, Y.P Suman, senior officers of the J&K Bank and other officers of the Labour & Employment Department.
Describing unemployment as one of the biggest challenges confronting the society, Ganai said the Jammu & Kashmir State Overseas Employment Corporation Limited has the potential of becoming a game-changer given the requirement of skilled human resource in the Gulf and many other countries.
“Government will work to create an enabling environment for generating employment avenues in critical sectors like MSME, agriculture, food processing, horticulture and tour and travel industry,” he added.
Urging the department to establish a strong monitoring mechanism for self-employment schemes being implemented through J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute and the Women’s Development Corporation, the Advisor issued directions for carrying out an impact assessment of these schemes vis-à-vis employment generation in the State. Director EDI informed the Advisor that EDI will soon float an EoI for a third-party impact study of the self-employment schemes to review whether these schemes are generating substantive job opportunities for the youth or not.
The meeting was also informed that a fresh look will be taken on the Voluntary Service Allowance (VSA) extended to the eligible educated unemployed youth of the State, which is on hold since 2015.
While reviewing the performance of J&K Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Ganai passed directions for strengthening the marriage assistance scheme. He suggested organizing camps to re-launch the scheme after issuing checklists to filter eligible beneficiaries.
The Advisor also impressed upon the Administrative Secretary to streamline cess collection from private establishments which are out of the ambit of the collection net so far. He urged the officers to make Labour & Employment Department vibrant so that it becomes the custodian of labour rights in the true sense.
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