Srinagar, Nov 12: Though the queue of educated jobseekers seeking registrations outside the Employment and Counselling Centres, formerly Employment Exchange, in Jammu and Kashmir grows longer by the day, the government is clueless about further steps after completion of the exercise.
The registration was triggered by a statement of the Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather, at Chrarisharief on September 5 that an employment policy would be announced on December 5, coinciding with the birth anniversary of National Conference founder, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. He had announced that appropriate stipend would be paid to the unemployed job-seekers.
On October 2, the government issued a notification asking the unemployed youth to get registered with the concerned employment offices “for training.” Soon after, the centres witnessed a massive rush with hundreds of unemployed youth turning up for registration every day.
However, after raising the expectations, the government developed cold feet and said the registration would help it formulate a comprehensive employment policy without guaranteeing jobs. “It would give us a sort of data base to identify the priority sector,” said the Higher Education, Labour and Employment Minister, Abdul Gani Malik. By then 4.65 lakh jobseekers had registered themselves with the centres in the hope they would be getting the monthly stipend promised by the government.
All eyes are now set on the promised employment policy even as the government is reluctant to talk about it. “Everyone would come to know about the policy when it is announced,” says the Labour and Employment secretary, Farooq Ahmad Peer. He said there was nothing wrong with registrations which would help gauge the magnitude of the problem.
Peer said registration with employment exchanges was necessary two decades ago. Later, under the Apex Court ruling, it became an option after which less number of people came forward for registration.
Nevertheless, sources said, the government had a plan to provide monetary help to the educated unemployed youth to establish small scale units for which Rs 25 crore had been earmarked for the Entrepreneur Development Institute to train the aspirants.
However, sources said, none of the persons trained by the Institute so far had established a successful unit. In fact, some young entrepreneurs have instituted cases in courts against the EDI for alleged cheating.
The move to establish an Overseas Employment Corporation to facilitate placement of Kashmiri youth in Gulf and European countries is also being criticized on the plea it was misplaced at a time when the developed world was facing recession. “One wonders what the Corporation will do in times when Europe and Gulf countries are in a lay off mode,” said a senior official, pleading anonymity.
But the government is going ahead with the step. It approved the establishment of the Corporation a day before the durbar move to Jammu. The SRO about it would be issued soon. “It will facilitate exploring jobs for skilled educated youth of the state,” Peer told Greater Kashmir on phone.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 IST