<p>In the last one and a half decades, like many states of the country, Jammu and Kashmir too has shown an upsurge in economic growth. But, it seems the prosperity has botched to create ample employment opportunities for the youth, both in the public and private sectors in the state.<br /><br /></p>.<p> According to official figures on unemployment released in March 2010, there were 5.89 lakh educated unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir. Almost two and half years down the line, the number must be hovering around 6.5 lakh at the moment.<br /><br />Prime Minister’s Expert Group to formulate job plan for J&K– formed in August 2010 – had developed a special placement linked, market driven skill training programme for the youth. However, it has failed to take off despite the approval by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in June last year.<br /><br />Under the “Himayat Schem-e”, skill training had to be given to 50,000 to 1,00,000 youth in five years and the objective was to provide options and opportunity to the youth regardless of their educational qualifications to select training programme for salaried or self- employment as per their interest.<br /><br />The Expert Group – headed by former RBI Governor, C Rangarajan – had also suggested to run special training programmes for university and professional college students in collaboration with industry sector under the “Udaan Scheme”.<br /><br />“Jammu and Kashmir has a large talent pool of youth who are well educated but are unable to find employment due to lack of soft skills or lack of practical/hands-on training. To engage the youth, one initiative could be to identify 10-20 companies the across industry sectors to partner with an educational institution and run special training programs to enhance employability of 8,000 youth per year in Jammu and Kashmir over a five year period,” the Group had suggested.<br /><br />However, sources said, the schemes are proving to be a damp squib due to the state government’s “non-serious approach.” “There has been no awareness about the schemes and J&K government has done nothing to facilitate the visit of multi national companies to the state for hiring the talented youth,” a senior official told Deccan Herald. He said under the Himayat scheme only 1,100 youth have been selected so far though the target is to train 1 lakh youth in five years.<br /><br />Like Himayat, Udaan aimed to facilitating job prospects for 40,000 youths has failed to take off thought it was launched by Union Home Minister P Chidamabaram in presence of J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in March this year amid much fanfare.<br /><br />J&K remains one of the states with highest rate of unemployment. The state government remains the largest employer in the state with almost 5 lakh employees that eat up almost 50 per cent of its annual budget leaving just pittance for the developmental purposes.</p>
<p>In the last one and a half decades, like many states of the country, Jammu and Kashmir too has shown an upsurge in economic growth. But, it seems the prosperity has botched to create ample employment opportunities for the youth, both in the public and private sectors in the state.<br /><br /></p>.<p> According to official figures on unemployment released in March 2010, there were 5.89 lakh educated unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir. Almost two and half years down the line, the number must be hovering around 6.5 lakh at the moment.<br /><br />Prime Minister’s Expert Group to formulate job plan for J&K– formed in August 2010 – had developed a special placement linked, market driven skill training programme for the youth. However, it has failed to take off despite the approval by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in June last year.<br /><br />Under the “Himayat Schem-e”, skill training had to be given to 50,000 to 1,00,000 youth in five years and the objective was to provide options and opportunity to the youth regardless of their educational qualifications to select training programme for salaried or self- employment as per their interest.<br /><br />The Expert Group – headed by former RBI Governor, C Rangarajan – had also suggested to run special training programmes for university and professional college students in collaboration with industry sector under the “Udaan Scheme”.<br /><br />“Jammu and Kashmir has a large talent pool of youth who are well educated but are unable to find employment due to lack of soft skills or lack of practical/hands-on training. To engage the youth, one initiative could be to identify 10-20 companies the across industry sectors to partner with an educational institution and run special training programs to enhance employability of 8,000 youth per year in Jammu and Kashmir over a five year period,” the Group had suggested.<br /><br />However, sources said, the schemes are proving to be a damp squib due to the state government’s “non-serious approach.” “There has been no awareness about the schemes and J&K government has done nothing to facilitate the visit of multi national companies to the state for hiring the talented youth,” a senior official told Deccan Herald. He said under the Himayat scheme only 1,100 youth have been selected so far though the target is to train 1 lakh youth in five years.<br /><br />Like Himayat, Udaan aimed to facilitating job prospects for 40,000 youths has failed to take off thought it was launched by Union Home Minister P Chidamabaram in presence of J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in March this year amid much fanfare.<br /><br />J&K remains one of the states with highest rate of unemployment. The state government remains the largest employer in the state with almost 5 lakh employees that eat up almost 50 per cent of its annual budget leaving just pittance for the developmental purposes.</p>
