The growing unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir has been a matter of concern and Minister for Finance, Culture, Labour and Employment, Dr Haseeb Drabu calling for formulation of a comprehensive employment policy is a timely action keeping the growing unrest and radicalisation of youth in Valley. There is a need to evolve a policy which is receptive to market needs and bridging the gap in skill development which attracts more youth than confining to the traditional jobs. Our schemes should not be a process to provide work to district employment officer. It is to be tailored for unemployed, unskilled, less educated/uneducated youth, Drabu said. Calling to do away with the old practice of manual registration by standing in line in employment exchanges the minister called for online registration of unemployed. In this direction government can extend assistance by providing financial and technical assistance as incentives for opening Suvidha centres for registration of job seekers. In such a way a large number of them can be absorbed in economic activity. Can also rope in private sector as job provider which would help in correcting the social imbalances. He assured of all possible help in allowing these centers to flourish to the extent of bearing 50 per cent of the operational cost. “The government will provide infrastructure and market assistance, rest private parties can train counsel and prepare youth,” he said. While talking about the dismal situation of unemployment in the State, Dr Drabu said that this department is important in shaping up the future of our State and needs serious and focused effort across the line. “This is not seen as prized posting. Nobody wants to work here,” he said. He further said that the lack of robust private sector and saturation in the government sector is the growing concern which needs to be tackled systematically. The previous government had created Overseas Employment Corporation years ago to work as a link for jobs abroad but the corporation has remained a dead asset and it is a right decision to wind up such oragnisation. The corporation since its inception has spent Rs 142 Cr without doing business for a rupee. Dr Drabu has set 15th May as deadline for coming up with strategic paper on restructuring Directorate of Employment and other allied departments. Let us hope this initiative brings some returns and the
government would be able to address the issue in right earnest.