The administration in Jammu & Kashmir has been actively engaged in rolling out diverse measures aimed at providing employment opportunities to the region’s unemployed youth. A slew of initiatives has been introduced to foster job creation and economic growth in the area.
These initiatives encompass a broad spectrum of strategies:
- Self-employment schemes have been implemented across various sectors to establish sustainable income-generating ventures, resulting in the generation or strengthening of approximately 7.4 lakh self-employment and livelihood opportunities since 2021-22.
- New schemes like Mumkin, Tejaswani, and Spurring Entrepreneurship under Mission Youth have been launched to support the establishment of business units and sustainable livelihood projects, including in the transport sector.
- Job fairs and placement drives have been conducted at divisional and district levels to facilitate connections between unemployed youth and potential employers, resulting in 151 job fairs and participation from 1631 companies over the last two years.
- Skill development programs were introduced in the fiscal year 2023-24 to address skill gaps among the youth population.
- Career counseling sessions and awareness campaigns for career guidance were conducted, with a significant number of candidates (4,74,464 and 2,12,109, respectively) participating between 2020 and 2023 (up to October).
- Governance reforms, including transparent large-scale recruitment drives, were undertaken post-reorganization, with the establishment of the Accelerated Recruitment Committee in 2020 to oversee public sector recruitment.
- A focus on merit-based selections was emphasized under the “YOGYATA SE ROZGAR” drive, ensuring transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.
Moreover, the Government of India introduced a new Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir in February 2021, with an allocated budget of Rs. 28,400 crore, aimed at bolstering industrial growth.
Several policy initiatives have also been implemented by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, including industrial policies, land allotment policies, and schemes to attract foreign investment. These policies are designed to make the Union Territory an investor-friendly destination.
These collective endeavors have attracted investment proposals amounting to Rs. 88,915 crore, with the potential to generate employment for over 3.98 lakh individuals. Additionally, since 2019-20 until October 2023, an investment of Rs. 5,319 Crore has been realized, significantly contributing to the local economy and employment opportunities in the region.
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai, provided this information in a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha.