Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and Member of Parliament Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday stressed on partnering with J&K youth to achieve their dreams and protecting their emotional and mental health.
Dr Farooq said this while interacting with the young entrepreneurs, who had called on him here at party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha Srinagar from different parts of Kashmir division.
The visiting delegation of budding entrepreneurs apprised the Party President about the lack of appropriate entrepreneurship ecosystem as the main deterrent to the motivation of the upcoming entrepreneurs and a major hurdle in the growth of those who have already established their ventures. The visiting delegation said that in wake of the lack of government jobs and scant private sector, they started their own ventures with little to support from the administration.
They maintained that the tedious paperwork involved in starting a business and absence of incubation centers that can provide right direction and support with regard to the necessary marketing, infrastructure, easy banking and information have had a negative impact on their growth.
Among others Party General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Senior leader and state secretary Sakina Itoo, Provincial Secretary Showkat Mir, Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, Provincial VPs Syed Tauqeer, Ahsan Pardesi, Ab Majeed Larmi, YNC Provincial President Salman Ali Sagar, Provincial President Women’s Wing Er. Sabiya Qadri, Minority wing organizer JS Azad were also present on the occasion.
The young entrepreneurs told the party president that the absence of a substantial post Covid-19 relief to them has further increased their predicaments and made it unfeasible for most of them to keep their businesses afloat. The party president gave a passionate ear to the visiting delegation and told them that the party MPs have been taking up the issues concerning the JK youth at all appropriate forums. He assured the visiting delegation that the Party functionaries and MPs will continue to raise the issues concerning the youth, particularly the budding entrepreneurs at all forums. He said that he along with his party MPs will take up the issue in the Parliament as well.
Addressing the visiting youth delegation, Dr Farooq said, “There is growing evidence to prove that the lack of investment, and an indifference to the needs of youth incur a high cost in terms of lost opportunities, ill-health, and social, physical and mental issues. Our youth have been at the receiving end of all this. They see no light at the end of tunnel.”
“Far from giving employment to educated and unemployed youth, the administration is showing door to already employed ones on one pretext or another. Those who have started their own venues have also been left unattended. It goes without saying that incumbent government is treating our youth like a burden and not like an asset,” he said.
Dr. Farooq added that the situation is turning bleak with each passing day and youth in wake of no attention from the incumbent is turning towards drugs. He said that NC is alive to the issues faced by our youth and will leave no stone unturned to ensure their voices are heard at all appropriate forums including the Parliament.
Later, a delegation of party workers from Langate, headed by the Vice President District Kupwara Adv. Abdul Hameed Lone also had an audience with the party president at party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha, Srinagar.
