Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Apr 2: With all MLAs cutting across their party affiliations supporting private member’s resolution, moved by Mohammed Sharief Niaz of Congress that educated unemployed youth be given training in all trades to get jobs in upcoming power projects in the State, the Assembly was left with no option but to adopt the resolution with the amendment of Engineer Rashid. However, another resolution on declaration of agriculture, horticulture and floriculture as an industry moved by Mohamed Yasin Shah of NC was reserved for another day due to paucity of time.
Though Speaker Mubarak Gul tried to save the time by asking the members not to speak on the resolution of Mr Niaz and listen to Minister’s reply as House had to carry other pending business was not heeded by members who stressed that this being an important resolution, every member be allowed to ascertain his views on it.
Javed Dar of NC and G M Saroori of the Congress who wanted to speak on the resolution strongly argued with the Speaker demanding that the members be allowed to give their views on this resolution.
Sharing the members’ concern Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand also stood up from his seat and supported the members’ saying that it being an important resolution be discussed in the House.
Earlier speaking on the resolution Mr Niaz said that J&K has a potential of generating 20,000 mws of hydro electric power but no proper attention was paid to exploit the same as the State has no proper technical manpower. He however complimented Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah for his recent initiative of constructing five power projects in joint venture with NHPC and JKPDC.
The maximum projects were given to NHPC which engaged skilled as well as unskilled laborers from outside the State. He stressed that unemployed youth of the State be imparted training in the various training institutes of the State so that they can get job in power projects.
Supporting the resolution G M Saroori said the erstwhile Doda district alone has a potential of generating 11000 Mws of hydro electric power and NHPC is generating Rs three crore revenue per day from Dul Hasti Power Project. He said it is unfortunate that land and water belong to the state but the revenue is earned by NHPC. The State has already suffered a heavy loss due to Indus Water Treaty and demanded that no outside engineer be allowed to work in power projects of the state while stressing on providing technical training to J&K unemployed youth. He welcomed the statement of Chief Minister that no project will be given to NHPC in future.
He demanded that six MLAs from erstwhile Doda be made members of the Committee on Joint Venture.
He was later supported by Javed Dar also who said the State has a potential of 20,000 Mws of hydro power generation and only 16000 Mws have been identified so far while work is going on generation of 2200 Mws.
Maintaining that the State has technical know how he stressed that 70 per cent of the skilled and unskilled workers should be from State. Admitting that for tunnel work skilled labor from outside can be used but the unskilled labor should be among locals otherwise the people are bound to protest.
Engineer Rashid while supporting the resolution said if local educated youth are provided training this will prove an asset for the State. There is no fun of constructing new power projects in the State if skilled labor is not available.
Qamar Ali Akhoon of NC also supported the resolution said by providing training to unemployed youth will help in their absorption in power projects besides in boosting the economy of the State. Ashok Kumar of Congress also supported the resolution.
Later justifying the members’ concern the Minister of Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir said that Government is fully seized with the issue and has contemplated various steps in this regard.
He said to fill the shortfall of skilled human resources in the state, Hydro Training Institute (HTI) is being set up jointly by JKSPDC and NHPC in Kangan to train the youth of the State. For this institution the land has been identified and the development of curriculum is underway. In this regard the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being signed shortly. The 80 percent of intake capacity of the institute is reserved for J&K youth, he added.
Mir further said that JKSPDC has adopted five ITIs including of Kangan, Bhaleesa, Dharmari, Kalakote and Basholi besides NHPC has also adopted it is of Leh, Kargil, Uri, Ramban and Reasi to provide training to the educated youth as per their demand in the power projects.
The Minister said that the PGCIL has been requested by the State Government to establish two training institutes one each in Jammu and Sringar respectively.
Mir said the technical Education Department is also mulling to set up ITIs and skilled training centers at block level to provide skilled human resources in different trades particularly in the trades where their services can by utilized in the upcoming power , road and railway projects.
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