Private sector continues to be the largest employer and contributor to nation-building as a world wide activity. But reverse is the bitter truth with our state establishment to which all educated aim at employment. Here the reverse happens. With too much of water resources we have scarcity of drinking water. Having so many rivers and lakes we are short of adequate electricity and grope in darkness particularly in winters when it is most direly needed on this side of the historical Banihal tunnel. With abundances of forests we import timber from outside. Getting down to the brass-tacks the private sector has not taken off to encompass its domain owing to oft witnessed power outages further aggravated by inclement geography and the political weather where the sky remains always murky with cloud bursts endangering the prospect of the helpless. As reported recently 41170 vacancies comprising of 6034 gazetted posts and 35113 non gazetted posts are lying vacant with the government as on 31-1-2018 in 37 departments. The school education department tops the heap with 2153 gazetted and 9448 non-gazetted vacancies. The repercussion of this has reflected in the low student-teacher ratio combined with low pass/merit percentage of the government run school students. Similarly the medical and health sector has suffered the brunt in the shape of low doctor-patient ratio of 1:1658 against the recommended World Health Organisation norm of 1:1000 as 2455 posts of medicos are also lying vacant. This has complicated the situation for patients on account of deferred consultations and late administrating of prescribed medicines/tests. The similar negative or discouraging results are the fate in other 35 departments which in their own way are no less important. This is a paradox in view of the various sign boards displayed in various departments/directorate offices reading ‘No vacancies’. ‘Please don’t come/ask for employment’. Anyways the state happens to be a major employer at least in our case.
In any officialdom no vacancies occur unless and until the relevant scaled work load justifies its necessity for creation which is authorised by government under proper method and practice of granting sanction for filling the same subsequently after undergoing through already laid down recruitment process conducted by the designated boards/ commission/ committees. These vacancies are lying there since long though with some gradual recruitments therefrom. People concerned are made to hear common non-stop refrain that ways and means are being evolved to accelerate and expand employment and absorb more and more unemployed youth expeditiously. This repeated assurance too baffles the aspirants vis-a-visa non fulfilment of 41147 already existing vacancies. When a bird in hand is not offered what may be expected of that said to be explored from the bush of wishes can be perceivable. The problem has to be addressed at war footing as it has cost so many lives and destroyed numerous relations with capital invested in it giving vent to so many social evils and discord.
If the data compiled by Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy in collaboration with Bombay Stock Exchange for the year 2106 is believed to be true, Utter Pradesh has the lowest unemployment rate of 1.35% followed by Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka with 2.40/2.42 percent respectively. While the state of Utter Pradesh ranks 1st in population and 9th in density, J&K with its corresponding position at 19 and 28 unemployment rate of 12.13% speaks loud and lucid of the apathy towards the issue in comparison to national average unemployment rate of 4.7 percent. The other three states with higher rate of unemployment are Kerala with 9.6 percent, Assam 8.6 percent, Chandigarh 8.05 percent and Haryana 7.16 the data reveals. This is appalling in the back drop of 88040 unemployment youth registered with various Districts Employment and Counselling Centres as on 31-12-2017 as admitted by the government. The number is sure to be more with inclusion of unregistered ones. One more irony of the fate is that the Jammu & Kashmir Overseas Employment Corporation Limited established during 2010, registered with Proctor General of Immigrants Ministry of Overseas India, with a view to facilitating employment of unemployed youth in and outside the country has also not worked upto the expectations to assuage the pain of unemployment. The corporation seems to be non-existent measured with its performance so far save providing employment to few of its employees and the expectations with it have cooled down with the passage of time without cooling down the unemployment temperature.
Heedfully to mention that all things do not matter alike for the centre and the states for both have peculiar concerns for normal and the thrust areas of governance. Some people are worried on the burgeoning salary/establish bills which constitute and consume major portion presently 36% including 6 percent on account of pension of our annual budget for 2018-19. Such well wishers and promoters are welcome to all to offer workable solutions in the cul-de-sac. Fait accompli no government can provide 100 percent jobs but as much is visibly possible and long justified, the needing departments should not suffer non utilisation especially the two quoted ad-supra which act as eyes and legs for any state/of affairs. Locking up or freezing of posts /downsizing employment is no saving to the public exchequer that too notionally where as slashing down excessive perks and benefits, extra entourage, extravagance, checking pilferages etc, in respect of incumbency can. Any state which cannot conduct itself to establish industrial base through the medium of private sector at least to cater to its own requirements if not creating any surpluses has the larger responsibility on various fronts to arrange for provision of jobs in government sector by filling up at least the existent vacancies on fast rack basis so that some of the unemployed youth may heave a sigh of relief. A multi-pronged strategy is needed to be pursued to exploit all the activities in all the six sectors of economy, revenue, social, general, IT& Communication and research & development to the equilibrium point to yank the state back from the morass of economic morbidity.
[The author is a former Sr. Audit Officer working as Consultant in the A.G’s Office Srinagar.]