Srinagar, June 3: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Thursday said creation of employment for youth was the topmost priority of his government.
Reviewing the progress of Sher-e-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Policy for Youth (SKEWPY) at a high level meeting here, Omar said that various measures are afoot to address unemployment crisis and provide job opportunities to youth in the government and the private sectors.
He said the corporate sector of the country will be persuaded to hold employment rallies in the state for on spot recruitment of educated and skilled youth. “Such rallies will help greatly to expand the employment orbit for the unemployed”, he maintained.
Omar emphasized on revisiting the norms of Voluntary Service Allowance (VSA) scheme to help cover more beneficiaries under its ambit. “The provisions of the scheme need to be reviewed”, he said and asked the concerned departments to deliberate upon it and suggest measures for making the scheme more viable and easy for the youth to draw its benefits.
 Omar stressed on early completion of District Employment Counselling Centres and fixed one year target for the completion of these centres. He asked the concerned to work in coordination and carry forward the construction programme speedily. He asked the officers of Employment Department and J&K Entrepreneurship Institute (JKEDI) to fast track the counselling programmes for the youth intending to start self-employment ventures.
 Omar said that he would review the progress of the employment programme in the month of September this year again and asked the concerned Ministers to take regular meetings to oversee the progress on the programme.
 The Chief Minister asked the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and the Employment Department to finalize the MoU to pave way for intending youth to take benefit of Seed Money and bank finances. “The flow of loan for self employment units from the bank should be smooth, meticulous and hassle free”, he told the Bank.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST