By IANS,
Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir plans to employ more than 70,000 youths in the government sector, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Wednesday even as union minister Jairam Ramesh pledged more central support.
“Presently over four lakh youths are unemployed in the state and the government intends to appoint more than 70,000 youths in government services from this year,” he said at a function here.
Besides this, the government would also create employment opportunities for more than three lakh young people. As such, projects of both the state and the central governments were under implementation to expand the job market, he said.
Omar Abdullah said ‘Himayat’ is a unique programme being run in the state with the help of central government aimed at imparting training to one lakh youth and providing them placements in the private sector within and outside the state during a period of five years.
“This is a significant and historic opportunity coming to the youth to enhance their employability capacities and get assured jobs in the private job market. It is up to them how they take advantage of this initiative and transform their socio-economic status,” he said.
Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh, who was also present at the function, said: “The ‘Himayat’ scheme was launched in the state in 2011 and it is marching ahead confidently to realise the set goal of providing training and jobs to one lakh youth of Jammu and Kashmir, mostly school drop-outs and lesser qualified….”
He added that over 5,000 youths have been provided jobs in various companies within and outside the state since the inception of the scheme and over 15,000 would be given training and placement during 2013-14.
Ramesh announced one tablet (mini-computer) each to 400 youths who have completed one year of service in the companies they were engaged under ‘Himayat’.
He said that all the boys and girls completing one year service successfully in the companies would be provided tablets.