For any society it is the youth that shape its destiny. Youth are the nation builders, however, from past several decades, the youth of J&K, particularly from the Kashmir Valley, have been constantly on the receiving end. They have been exploited to the core costing them not only their livelihood but even the lives too. The youths here are second to none when it comes to academic excellence, entrepreneurship skills, research, scientific temper, innovations, sports, music, art and culture etc. Unfortunately, the same youth got caught in a vicious circle of violence wherein they became fodder for the political designs of few. Youth of the UT is talented and has every potential to write a new story of development subject the administration here has the will to carry these youth along and to initiate measures to ensure the youth become assets and not a liability for the society. Unemployment, it goes without saying, is one of the biggest challenges that J&K is face to face with. It is not any new phenomena, it has been there since decades and no concrete steps were ever taken to find out a long term solutions to the problem of unemployment.
Fact of the matter is that government can’t employ every educated youth. Yes, government can do one thing, it can create avenues where youth are able to earn a dignified livelihood. Agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, animal and sheep husbandry, tourism and handicrafts are few sectors which should be concentrated upon. All these sectors have huge potential and can generate employment avenues in abundance. Need is that the administration, in consultation with educated youth, come up with innovative ideas. The status quoist attitude of the bureaucracy has to change. Red-tapism has to end. Self employment schemes are to be made employment seeker friendly not the other way round. Babus and Banks are to be made accountable and a clear message should go down from the top that the administration means business on this front. There are hundreds of examples that could be quoted here wherein the youth desired to look beyond government jobs and tried their luck in the sectors mentioned above but the Babus and Banks ruined their dreams.
Sometime back, during a function, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi asked the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to leave behind the old challenges and take full benefit of new possibilities saying, it is our youth who will write a new story of development in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Jammu and Kashmir is the pride of every Indian and that together we have to take Jammu and Kashmir to new heights. Prime Minister’s message need to be followed in letter and spirit by the UT administration. Youth are the future and their wellbeing is the only guarantee that the society emerges as a healthy, progressing and prospering one. Youth need hand holding. They need to be told that their talent is being recognised. They need to be provided avenues wherein they will feel part of the system and not let out. They are the nation builders and need to be encouraged by providing them proper avenues so that they can exhibit their potential.
