Nagam (Budgam), May 21: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday said the issue of unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be solved by providing government jobs to the unemployed youth.
 Speaking at a public gathering in Nagam area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, Omar made it clear that his Government cannot provide jobs to all educated unemployed youth.
 “There is no state in India or any other part of the world where unemployment issue has been addressed by providing Government jobs,” he said.  “The youth must explore other options other than Government jobs to earn their livelihood. But for that, peace has to return to the state.”
 Omar said “today there’s a huge rush of tourists in Kashmir and all the hotels are jam-packed. The tourists don’t get vehicles to travel towards different tourist destinations as most of the light motor vehicles have prior booked. A private taxi driver is able to earn 30,000 to 40,000 a month. So why shall he ask for a Government job if this thing continues. But for this thing to continue, peace has to return to the Valley.”
‘30,000 jobs provided to youth’
 Omar said that his Government provided 25,000 to 30,000 Government jobs to youth since he took over as the Chief Minister. “And these jobs were provided through various recruiting agencies like PSC and SSB. Besides 30,000 jobs, thousands of youth were appointed in J&K police in various districts across the state.”
‘18 new polytechnic colleges’
 Omar said that his Government has received the funds from central Government for opening 18 new polytechnic colleges across the state and one such college has been established in Nagam area of Budgam district.
 ‘Charar-e-Sharief to be developed as pilgrim tourism destination’
 Omar said that Charar-e-Sharief will be developed into a pilgrim tourist destination “and we hope in future tourists from not only India but from other countries, including the Islamic countries visit this place.”
 He said that from 2002 to 2008 Charar-e-Sharief area was neglected “but we have ensured over all development of the constituency in all sectors like Health, Education, Roads.”
‘PSGA , RTI our achievements’
 Omar said that his Government enacted Public Service Guarantee Act and no such act has been enacted by Government of India. “Even Ana Hazare is demanding such a law but J&K State has got this credit of taking a lead in enacting such a law which will ensure curing of corruption at various levels,” he said.
 He also said that enactment of progressive RTI law and holding of Panchayati elections “are the major achievements of my Government.”
Attacks PDP
 Without naming opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Omar said “they have the habit of being critical and can’t see all these changes around.”
PTI adds
 Highlighting the need for rejuvenating Community Information Centres (CICs), Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed merging their functioning with the established
Panchayati Raj System in the state.
 The basic idea of establishing CIC was to bring in e-governance at block levels and keep generated information available to the people for various purposes in the process of development, Omar said addressing a high-level meeting to discuss the issue of strengthening and upgrading CICs here.
 "These centres are to act as a data bank and digital route for filing reports and receiving information," he said directing for integration of the Panchayati Raj System with the functioning of CICs.
 The Chief Minister asked the Information Technology and Rural Development Departments to jointly work out a viable model to use the CICs as block centres for dissemination of vital information to the people in rural areas particularly agriculturists.
 He said information regarding weather, cropping pattern, market trends and other aspects can be obtained and provided to the people through these centres besides other such information.
 Minister for Rural Development Ali Muhammad Sagar, addressing the meeting, said upgradation of the functioning of CICs to benefit the Panchayati Raj System established in the state need to be worked out in a time-bound manner.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 IST