Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Friday said the ongoing pandemic has had a chilling effect on every sector of the Kashmir economy but the youth are especially vulnerable to its ravaging impact.
Asking the Government to come up with a policy framework to escape from the immediate and long term effects of the pandemic, YNC Provincial President Salman Ali Sagar stated that the rampaging pandemic have had immense impact on the lives of young people with regards to employment, education, and mental well-being.
“With the sluggish rate of recruitment, widespread discrimination meted out to Kashmiri youth in the government sector and non-existent private sector in Kashmir, the situation has turned more critical than it was ever before. More so over successive lock-downs are all the more reason for the increasing disappointment among youth,” he said.
“Unemployment levels have risen in Jammu and Kashmir as educated youth struggle with neglect and lack of job-creation policy. If the figures thrown revealed by local dailies are believed 2,50,000 educated youths in Kashmir are unemployed, thus pushing them and their families back to the wall. The wanton regional discrimination, out sourcing of employees, callous termination policy and pay anomalies with regards to contractual, need based and daily wager workers has further aggravated the already grim situation. The prevailing policy paralysis in government has further compounded their predicaments,” he said.
It was promised by the ruling dispensation that the process of recruitment on 84,000 posts will be expedited but the process; Salman said, is yet to see the light of the day. Impressing upon the government to expedite the recruitment process in a time-bound manner, he also recommended cent percent reservation for native youth in government and private sectors.
While emphasizing on prioritizing of a well-rounded, effective and productive youth policy, Sagar asked the government to come –up with a highly subsidized entrepreneurship policy. He also impressed upon the government to devote itself to help entrepreneurs tide over the losses incurred by them due to the rampage induced by the COVID-19 lock down. He also urged the government to provide minimum monthly monetary support to all graduates, post graduates and diploma holders. He also impressed upon the government to waive off loans due to people involved in the handicraft sector as well.
