'Multi-faceted strategy to address unemployment in Kashmir'

Jammu, March 31 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday said the state government is addressing the problem of unemployment in the state through a multi-faceted strategy which includes opening the substantial overseas job market for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

Chairing the meeting of the Board of Directors of Jammu and Kashmir State Overseas Employment Corporation Limited (JKSOECL) here, the chief minister directed the corporation to 'draw up a list of ambassadors of various countries in India from where a lot of overseas recruitment takes place'.

'You should arrange meetings with them in which the human resources potential of Jammu and Kashmir in various fields can be shared,' he said adding that these dignitaries can be also invited to the state subsequently to explore possibilities for seeking meaningful employment for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir overseas.

Omar Abdullah asked the corporation to launch a website as early as possible and subsequently convert it into a job portal. He told the corporation to provide concrete information to youth about job opportunities and vacancies existing in various fields in the foreign market and facilitate them in getting absorbed in the overseas job market.

The chief minister said the employment crisis in the state has to be addressed through a multi-faceted strategy and the constitution of JKSOECL is an important measure in this direction. He asked the corporation to intensify its activities and come up with a roadmap for opening the international job market to the youth of the state.

'You have to work for both skilled and unskilled human resources available in the state, including technically qualified people,' he maintained.

Recently, Union Home Minister P. Chidambram had inaugurated an interactive website - Udaan - to facilitate job prospects to about 40,000 youth of the state over a period of five years. The Omar Abdullah government had in December 2009 also announced a scheme for employment and self-employment for youth and stipend for unemployed.

There are over 600,000 registered unemployed in the state.