Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 27: State Cabinet today put seal of approval on the Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Policy for the 12th Five Year Plan and introduction of bill in the forthcoming session of State Legislature to amend Provident Fund Act.
To draw out an integrated strategy for enhancing the employability of the youth in the State and to address the growing skill gaps among youth, the State Government with its Skill Development Policy envisages up skilling 9.1 lakh youth during the 12th Five Year Plan. To achieve the target, an estimated Rs 1575 crore will be required during the period in various sectors like Vocational and Technical Education, Micro Small Scale Industry, Horticulture, Tourism, IT, Health, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, UDAAN and HIMAYAT.
With the innovative intervention of Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth, the Government has been successful in creating first ever-credible scientific database of unemployed youth in the State. The number of unemployed youth registered in various district employment and counselling centres is 6.04 lakh till ending January 2012. The data thus generated is an indication of the magnitude of the challenge.
The huge capital expenditure during 2012-17 will create massive employment opportunities and these employment opportunities, however, will require relevant skills which in turn demands conscious approach to create an environment of employability with close linkage between demand and supply.
The Skill Development Policy also envisages establishment of Skill Development Centre and introduction of Knowledge Centre Programme (KCP). The Skill Development Center will be established on a PPP model in major cities like Srinagar and Jammu to encourage youth to improve their capabilities and find employment in IT and ancillary activities. These centres will be established in collaboration with IT industries, IT education institutions or in IT associations.
The Government would also tie-up with leading MNCs to facilitate the smooth transition of skilled resource to the industry. It would set up a KCP board comprising of specialist recruiters/conglomerate of recruitment agencies and IT industry recruiters and experts that would tie-up with Engineering and Technical Colleges and others to provide training of premium technology courses in the last year of graduate/post graduate course and then provide assistance for their placement.
The Cabinet also approved introduction of bill in the Autumn Session of State Legislature beginning from October 1, 2012 to amend Jammu and Kashmir Employees Provident Fund Act. The amendment is aimed at increasing the threshold limit of number of employees in an establishment for coverage under the EPF scheme from 5 to 10 prospectively.
However, the establishments covered at present and having employees lesser than 10, will continue to be within the ambit of the scheme in respect of the employees already covered. Following the amendment, the rate of contribution of the employer will be 12 % instead of existing 8.33 %.
The Cabinet also approved regularization of Riyaz Ahmed Bandey as Director in Economics and Statistics (Gazetted) Service with effect from December 12, 2008 and promotion of three officers—S S Sasan, Mohammad Rafiq Matoo and Mohammad Ismail Teli as Directors prospectively against the available vacancies.
A deep concern was also expressed in the Cabinet over the recent killings of Panchayati Raj Representatives.
The Cabinet directed Deputy Commissioners to expedite the relief in favour of the families of the deceased and also process the cases for the appointment of the next of kin of the deceased on compassionate ground.
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