Over Half a Million Educated Youth Unemployed in Kashmir

More than five lakh educated youths are unemployed in Jammu and Kashmir, where the government has provided subsidy, unemployment allowance and financial assistance for setting up income generating units (IGUs) worth about Rs 300 crore during the previous fiscal.

Officials said here today over 5 lakh unemployed educated youth were registered with various employment exchanges in the state till ending December, 2012 under SKEWPY. However, during the past three years as many as 1,29,166 youth were provided employment in different sectors against a target of 2,55,000 which is to be achieved in five years.

Similarly, about two lakh youths have been imparted skill upgrade, training in different trades which make them eligible for job in private sector. They said under J&K Self Employment Scheme over 4500 units were set up involving disbursement of Rs 129.23 crore, including subsidy to the tune of Rs 39.79 crore during the previous fiscal.

Almost similar target has been set for the current fiscal. Under Seed Capital Fund Scheme which is jointly implemented by the Employment Department, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) and J&K Bank Ltd, 1496 entrepreneurs have been provided Rs 154.15 crore which includes Rs 49.43 crore as seed capital fund for setting up their IGUs in different trades during the previous fiscal. During the current fiscal Rs 55 crore has been earmarked as annual plan for the purpose, they said.

Under Voluntary Service Allowance (VSA), 50,268 educated youth were disbursed Rs 32.85 crore during the previous fiscal.

Under Women Entrepreneurship Scheme which is being implemented by the J&K Women Development Corporation, 234 employment generation units were established involving Rs 4 crore, giving direct employment to 702 women beneficiaries during the year 2012-13.


(Free Press Kashmir)