india

Updated: Sep 19, 2019 11:45 IST

The central government announced a slew of programmes on Monday aimed at boosting employment avenues for young people in Jammu and Kashmir and announced plans to involve and reach out to local populations in the region where job opportunities have been crippled by decades of militancy.

The government said it has decided to revamp all 38 Industrial Training Institute in J&K to improve infrastructure, introduce new technology and courses to make its students ‘employment ready’, a spokesperson of the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship said. J&K also has an additional 150 skill centres. The ministry also announced the introduction of outcome (employment) driven skills to create more employment opportunities.

Minister for skill development and entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey said he hoped these measure will help the youth of J&K to get more employment opportunities.

“We hope these initiative will become a tool in their hands to change their life and contribute towards national building,” Pandey said. Creating more employment opportunities for the restive region was a key promise made by the government when it revoked special status for J&K roughly three weeks ago.

The ministry had conducted a skill gap study in Kupwara, Baramulla, Srinagar, Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Ladakh districts to ascertain the gap between skills imparted by government centres and the demand of the industry.

“We found out some problem and will focus on area where there is a demand,” a senior ministry official said, adding there will be special focus on food processing, dairy farming, solar panel repair, tourism and retail, electronics and hardware. “There is also a need to focus on traditional skills,” he added on condition of anonymity.

The ministry said it will form district-level skill planning committees, comprising academicians, scholars, corporate and industries representatives. “Counselling centres will be opened in important districts,” the official said. “Job mela will be organised to connect with youth seeking employment.” The secretary of the ministry will visit J&K on August 27 and 28 to meet local people and plan further actions.