Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 22: Minister for Planning Development, Labour and Employment Ajay Sadhotra said that the Government is making tireless efforts to solve the problem of unemployment in the state for which several employment schemes have been initiated.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating 2-day Employment Fair organized by District Administration in collaboration with Department of Employment and Career Counselling at Marh today.
The aim and objective of the fair is to create awareness among the youth of the area about various State and Centrally sponsored employment and other credit driven schemes.
Terming unemployment as a biggest challenge before the Government, the Minister said that Government has launched innovative schemes like Sher-i-Kashmir Employment Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY), UDAAN and Himayat which would certainly help to provide employment avenues to the youth.
The Minister exhorted upon unemployed youth to come forwarded and avail maximum benefits from the schemes being implemented by various departments. He also stressed on forming self help groups and avail financial assistance being provided to them.
The Minister hoped that the youth of the district would get detailed information about the schemes and avail the same for setting up their own ventures.
Referring to SKEWPY, Mr. Sadhotra said that under this scheme a series of incentives are provided to encourage the educated youth to go for Self Employment. He said that most attractive part of the programme is to provide seed capital. He said it is a meticulously framed employment scheme and takes care of every aspect to facilitate its effective implementation.
On the occasion, District Development Commissioner, Jammu Ajeet Kumar Sahu, while addressing the gathering said that Rs 16 crore with Rs 5 crore as subsidy have been provided to the unemployed youth of Jammu district during this year. He said in addition 213 cases of Self-Employment Schemes involving additional subsidy of Rs 1.50 crore have been settled during the period.
During the fair various departments, nationalized banks, corporation sectors, self-help groups have installed 35 stalls where information regarding various schemes and sectors is being provided to the people.
The Minister also distributed cheques worth Rs 90 lakh among 36 beneficiaries as subsidy on account of loan, availed by them for setting up their income generating units.
Director Employment Dr. Abdul Rashid, senior officers of district administration, lead bank officers, representatives of nationalized banks, self-help groups, panchs and sarpanchs, members of civil society and a large number of people attended the fair.
Follow our WhatsApp channel