Unemployment among the youth is a nation-wide phenomenon in our country; it is not specific to J&K State only. Three main avenues of employment of youth are the Government, the private sector and the self-employment opportunities. Climatic and geographical conditions also contribute to the unemployment phenomenon. In the case of our State, the Government is the biggest employer. Naturally, we have a very fat salary bill of nearly 12,500 crores for the state employees and the pensioner. Annual income of the State is one-half of only one item of expenditure viz. the annual salary bills. One can imagine financial constraints with which the state is faced. Sources of generating income are severely limited and have been exploited to the fill. How are we going to manage this crisis?
As we see, the second major employment source is the private sector. In this regard, we are under a very unhealthy notion that industrialists, corporate houses and business magnates outside the territories of the State have to be the actors on the stage to make enormous investments in the State and help remove unemployment among nearly 6 lakh youth in the State. This point needs to be dealt with comprehensively. But before we deal with it, the question is why local industrialists and their resources are not tapped to create space for local unemployed youth? As for outside investment, first, outside investors will take into account a number of things before they decide to invest in one or the other industrial enterprise. Political atmosphere, peace conditions, availability of skilled and unskilled labour force, efficient and hassle free transportation and communication system, uninterrupted power supply, consumer friendly market and general goodwill are some of the pre-requisites. Private sector is to be motivated and not pushed to make investment. Frankly speaking, our State is still lacking some of these pre-requisites. Though there is realization at various levels of planning that the private sector has to be galvanized into action, yet the response is not as palpable. Therefore as things stand today, we cannot expect any large scale employment opportunity in the private sector. However, if there appears any significant change in the outlook of Indian private sector in regard to investment in J&K, the prospect may open up.
Realizing this debility, but motivated by overall scenario obtaining in the State, the Union Government, especially the PMO, found a middle path to tackle to some extent the challenging issue of unemployment of youth in Kashmir. Consensus of opinion is that engagement of the youth in career building activities is the right way of channelizing their creative potential. In pursuance of this understanding, the PMO and the Union Ministry of Rural Development joined hands to hammer out some schemes for the unemployed youth of the State. It was found that the youth with reasonably moderate level of education should be trained in various technical skills so as to make them eligible for employment in different sectors of industry. The Union Government rightly got into touch with some of the big industrialists of the country and broached the matter with them. Many of them agreed to open the doors of their units for imparting training in various skills to the unemployed youth and then provide them employment opportunities also. This formula took the shape of what is now known as Himayat and Udan initiatives, under which the other day Union Minister of Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh handed over employment letters to 1423 Kashmiri youth who completed two years course of different skills. Out of this number 800 youth have been posted in companies within the State and the rest will take up their jobs in different companies outside the State. Additionally those joining outside the State, will be facilitated by the Rural Development Ministry to the extent of a consolidated sum of 12,000 rupees per annum as incentive plus hostel accommodation specifically created for the State youth under aforesaid schemes. The target set forth by the Ministry of Rural Development for next five years is to train and absorb one lakh youth. In March about 3000 youth in Jammu province will be given appointment letters after they complete their training at various industrial institutes of private sector.
The State Government has appreciated this practical measure of the Union Government that takes care of all aspects of providing training in skills and employment. As the plan move onwards, a time will come when the youth after obtaining skills will like to explore possibilities of self employment for which, again the State and the Union Government are willing to offer incentives like soft and long term loans and technical know-how etc. All these measures are practical steps to find employment for the youth. State Chief Minister has said that eradicating unemployment among the youth of the State is his second; priority, the first one being that of restoring peace and normalcy. However, it should also be emphasized that the youth, too, are expected to voluntarily move towards self-employment. Personal initiative, awareness of incentives from the Government and understanding of market conditions are the basics of the principle of self-employment. Total dependence on the Government is not really advisable. Self-dependence and initiative are a virtue and the youth should put it to maximum use.
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