Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 25: Underlying the unemployment crisis as the second most important challenges after the issue of restoration of permanent peace in the State, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today said that his Government has adopted a multipronged programme to address this crisis. He said provision of jobs to over 6 lakh unemployed youth presently registered in the State is not an easy task and cannot be resolved by providing only Government jobs.
“Though Government jobs to the maximum level are being created for educated youth yet this is not the answer to defuse the problem in toto”, he said, adding that entrepreneurship development and involvement of private sector in the stupendous task of providing jobs to unemployed youth is imperative.
Addressing a gathering of trainees, who have completed training under Himayat initiative and selected for jobs in private sector, the Chief Minister said that Uddan and Himayat schemes sponsored by the Central Government to train Jammu and Kashmir youth and upgrade their skills for placement in open job market are promising initiatives aimed at augmenting State Government’s efforts to defuse unemployment crisis. He asked the youth to get best advantage of these schemes and earn their livelihood respectably.
The Chief Minister said that the resources of State are limited and its total income by all means is Rs. 6500 crore annually while it has to provide salary worth Rs. 12500 crore to its employees, Rs. 200 crore to pensioners besides bearing loss of Rs. 2000 crore yearly on supply of electricity. “Under this situation a multifaceted strategy has to be put in place to provide jobs to the youth”, he said, adding that his government is exploring all possibilities to address this issue.
The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh for extending his personal support to the State. He said the enhancement of post placement allowance by the Union Rural Development Ministry from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 12000 per year will benefit the selected youth to sustain their service.
The Chief Minister announced a laptop for each selected youth who would successfully retain his job in the company he has been allotted to for two years, adding that he would ask the Union Rural Development Minister to contribute 50 percent in this incentive for the selected youth.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh said that Himayat scheme has shown remarkable progress during the last two years and the retention percentage of trainees in the service market has increased from 40 percent to 75 percent. He said the retention percentage in the job market of last batch of trainees was 75 percent while it was only 40 percent in case of the previous batch of trainees who had been provided jobs.
Jairam Ramesh said that training and placement of one lakh youth of Jammu and Kashmir has been targeted under Himayat scheme in next five years. He said that another batch of 3000 boys and girls would be provided job letters in March next at Jammu.
Jairam Ramesh said that Union Government is working on creation of hostel accommodation for boys and girls of Jammu and Kashmir outside the State who have been provided jobs under Himayat in various companies outside the State. He said during the next three years Himayat training centres will be established in all 143 blocks of the State.
Minister of State for Rural Development, Ajaz Ahmad Khan also spoke on the occasion while Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik, Advisor to the Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul and Director, EDI, M. I. Parrey were present on the occasion among others.
Secretary Rural Development, Farooq Ahmad Peer in his welcome address presented resume of the benefits of Himayat scheme and the steps being initiated to expand its orbit.
The placement letters were also handed over to selected 1423 Himayat trainees on the occasion. Of these, about 800 have been provided jobs in various companies in Jammu and Kashmir.
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