Nearly 40 percent youth, in the age group of 15 to 30 years, are unemployed in Jammu and Kashmir, the government of India has revealed in reply to a question Lok Sabha, the number of unemployed youth in the state much higher than the national level.
In Jammu and Kashmir, out of 1000 persons in the age group of 15-17 years, 555 persons are unemployed, while in the age group of 18-30 years, 228 persons are jobless out of 1000 persons, revealed the union minister of Labour and employment, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, in reply to a question by Bahujan Samaj Party’s member of parliament from Uttar Pradesh, Jugal Kishore.
Ironically, the question relating to unemployment in JK was asked by the MP from Uttar Pradesh, while the representatives from the state preferred to remain silent on the issue.
The aggregate percentage of number of unemployed youth stands at 39.15 percent, which is 17 percent higher than the unemployment rate at the national level.
All India unemployment in the age group of 15-17 years is 130 persons out of 1000 persons. In the age group of 18-19 years, it stands at 102 persons out of 1000 persons, read the reply.
“The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above (per 1000) in Jammu and Kashmir is calculated as per the employment-unemployment survey,” the minister stated.
To a query from Kishore, the MP from UP, asking government about its proposals to address unemployment among the youth in Jammu & Kashmir, the minister stated: “Ministry is implementing the national career service (NCS) project to provide a variety of employment related services information on skill development courses etc. These services are available online on the National career service portal (www.ncs.gov.in). The services under NCS Project are accessible establishment of model career centres in employment exchanges and institutions of repute to provide variety of employment related services using technology. The Government has approved 03 Centres in the State of Jammu and Kashmir for the establishment of Model Career Centres namely at Samba Employment Exchange, National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), Leh and NIELIT, Srinagar.”
As per the state government, the number of unemployed youth registered in various district employment exchanges of the JK state is 88,040, as on ending March. However, the number only represents youth who have registered themselves at various district employment exchanges, and does not provide the actual figure of unemployment.
Registered unemployed youth include 3321 engineers, 185 doctors and 11 PhD degree holders. Besides, the list includes 17,351 postgraduate degree holders, 6586 graduates and 60586 others.
Former finance minister, Haseeb Drabu, had earlier said that the government would conduct survey to know the exact number of unemployed youth in the state. However, the government is yet to take a step to map the exact number of jobless youth in the state.
40 Percent youth in 15-30 age-group jobless across J&K
