Srinagar, May 1: Valley-based entrepreneurs have charged the government with “playing indifferent to the widespread unemployment in Kashmir while not helping out the industry to come out of the dire straits.”
 Contrary to its assurances, the government has “failed” to promote industrial sector in the Valley which could absorb unemployed youth, they said.
 The entrepreneurs said even as the government has time and again made it clear that it cannot afford to absorb all the educated unemployed youth in public sector, “it has failed to take steps as would help the entrepreneurs to start businesses and create job opportunities.”
 Former president, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) Shakeel Qalandar said: “It is unfortunate that the government is least bothered about the growing unemployment in the state. Number of unemployed youth has crossed over 6 lakh and if government continues to be in slumber the number will keep on growing.”
 Qalandar said: “Government needs to promote industrial sector in the state so that job avenues are created for the unemployed youth.”
 According to Qalandar J&K has one of the “best industrial policies” in place. “If government implements it in letter and spirit, the problem of unemployment can largely be solved,” he said.
 “State industrial sector has a potential to employ all the unemployed youth in the state, but the thing is that the government should implement all the industry related schemes and there should be equitable development of all the industrial estates in all the districts of the state,” Qalandar said.
 He added that the state government needs to provide all the facilities to the industrial sector, “so that the investors find it beneficial to set up their own units.”
 Experts believe the government should come up with a roadmap stating its policies and plans vis-à-vis the industrial development in the state.
 “It has become a common refrain with the government to say in every public meeting that it will promote industrial sector in the state. But all the claims are belied by the poor state of infrastructure and lack of development in the industrial estates in the Valley,” they said.
 Pertinently, the financial constraints had forced the government to issue a new job policy envisaging meagre salaries for the first three years to the new recruitees. However, the policy has been stayed by the High Court.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 May 2012 00:00:00 IST