Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 19: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said the Government will accord top priority in providing jobs to qualified and skilled unemployed youth of the State and will galvanise all recruiting agencies.
“It is our top priority to provide jobs to qualified and skilled unemployed youth of the State,” he said in the Legislative Assembly.
Mufti said that all recruiting agencies will be galvanised to make selection process fair, time-bound and transparent.
He said that the Government will also reinvigorate the private sector so that it is able to absorb as many skilled educated youth as possible.
Intervening in a reply to a question raised by Mohammad Akbar Lone, NC MLA from Sonawari and former Speaker in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said that rising unemployment is a major challenge for the Government.
“We will initiate steps to ensure that selections by recruiting agencies are made in a fair and transparent manner,” he added.
Sayeed also stated that the Government will work to enhance employability of local skilled youth in the private sector.
In another intervention to a question raised by Mubarak Gul, Idgah MLA, regarding steps being taken to improve the condition of dilapidated irrigation canals in Idgah constituency, he said the Government is fast-tracking relief to all those affected by the floods of September 2014.
Meanwhile, Mufti Sayeed said a Cabinet Sub-Committee has been framed to fast track disbursement of relief to flood-affected population and asserted that no financial hurdle would be allowed to come in rebuilding flood-bartered infrastructure.
“We have framed a Cabinet Sub-Committee to fast track disbursement of relief to the flood-affected population,” Mufti said in reply to a question of NC MLA and former Speaker Mubarak Gul during Question Hour.
“Besides Idgah Constituency, adequate funds will be provided by the Government to rebuild the flood-damaged infrastructure in all other affected areas of the state,” the Chief Minister stated while intervening into the reply being given by PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar.
Gul had raised the issue that due to floods entire water supply setup has been damaged and people don’t get water and officials are saying that there are liabilities.
Mufti said that no financial hurdle would be allowed in speedily building up the damaged infrastructure on various sectors of public utility and members should be assured of it.
“We have funds for rehabilitation. We will utilise them,” he said.
Earlier, Sukhnandan Kumar informed the House that five irrigation schemes were damaged due to recent floods in Eidgah Constituency, out of which temporary restoration of four Lift Irrigation Schemes viz Goripora, Kreshbal, Noorbagh and dewatering station Choonch-Faqir in Eidgah Constituency have been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 40 lakh.
He said under permanent restoration, works to the tune of Rs 60 lakh were tendered by the department for which the letter of intent for allotment stands issued and the works will be taken up immediately for execution adding that all these works would be completed before the irrigation season ensuing proper irrigation facilities.
Later, the Chief Minister called Sukhnandan Kumar to his seat and passed on some directions to him pertaining to canals.