![Former Minister, Surjeet Singh Slathia posing for a photograph with youth activists of the NC at Ramgarh on Friday. Former Minister, Surjeet Singh Slathia posing for a photograph with youth activists of the NC at Ramgarh on Friday.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/page5-8-4.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Jan 29: Stressing the crucial need of addressing the issues confronting youth in Jammu and Kashmir, senior National Conference (NC) leader and former Minister, Surjeet Singh Slathia today said the burgeoning unemployment problem has pushed the educated unemployed to the wall.
“A focussed approach is needed to fill up the vacancies in various departments on fast-track basis and to generate employment avenues for skilled and unskilled workforce, who have suffered hugely in recent years, especially post COVID scenario”, Slathia said while addressing a large number of youth at Ramgarh.
The meeting had been organised by the Block Committee of Youth National Conference.
Slathia said that the issues pertaining to youth cannot be put under the carpet for a long, as they have been nurturing a feeling of neglect and deprivation. A viable roadmap is required to be devised to generate employment and employability, keeping in view the plight of the youth. He said growing unemployment has cast a shadow of frustration upon the unemployed, as they find their future bleak. He said employability assumes larger significance in view of limited openings, which is why a pragmatic and futuristic Sher-e- Kashmir Employment Welfare Policy for Youth (SKEWPY) had been conceived and evolved by the Government of the National Conference years ago. Similar schemes should get priority by the administration to satiate the urges and aspiration of the youth, he added.
Slathia said that the NC has all along worked for the empowerment of youth, which is necessary for healthy growth of the society.
The former Minister exhorted the cadre to reach out to the people and help them in seeking redressal to their problems. He hoped that they will also work towards strengthening the bonds of amity and tranquility between various segments of the society, which is core of the political philosophy of the National Conference.
District president Youth NC Samba, Riyaz Malik also addressed the public meeting and dwelt upon various initiatives taken by the Governments led by Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah for youth empowerment.