Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: While making the startling disclosure that unemployment figures in Jammu and Kashmir have touched an all-time high leaving behind all the other North Indian States with over 459 % increase since 2008 as per official statistics, BJP National Executive Member, National TV panelist &J&K chief spokesperson, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that there could have been no worse commentary than this on the performance of National Conference (NC) led Congress Coalition Government which cameto power five years ago with the promise of changing the fortunes of State’s youth under the leadership of a young Chief Minister.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that according to Government figures, the number of registered job-seekers had increased from 1,06,130 in 2008 to 5.94 lakh in 2012, which accounts for an increase of 459.85 per cent. What is even more worrisome is that as the number of unemployed youth has officially swelled to a staggering 6 lakh, a series of employment generation schemes announced by Government for enhancing job opportunities have elicited a dismal response, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, albeit the Government’s much hyped Sher-e-Kashmir Employment & Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY) which the NC leadership had described as a historic initiative or the Government of India’s much-touted ‘Udaan’ and ‘Himayat’ schemes, the placement record has remained abysmal.
Questioning the accountability of huge budget spent on these fancy schemes, Dr Jitendra Singh said that under SKEWPY, an amount of Rs 26.58 crore was disbursed during the recent financial year up to January 2013 in the name of Voluntary Service Allowance (VSA) for providing social security to registered educated unemployed youth in the age group of 26 to 37 years with annual family income below Rs 1.5 lakh.
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