By: Afaq Bhat
Srinagar: Recently Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated that the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir has declined from 19.6% to 10.6%.
In an interview to a national news channel, LG Sinha stated that during the past two years the government has taken several steps to address the unemployment crisis. “Besides creating new job opportunities, the government has given loans to youth to set up their own ventures. Many youth oriented schemes have been started to engage them,” LG Sinha said.
An observer while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “During the past few months Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB) and Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) have announced many posts and the recruitment process is on.”
According to the officials till date 18000 posts have been advertised and many more posts are likely to be announced in coming days. “The recruitment process has started and it will be expedited in the coming days. All the processes have been made transparent. Only those candidates will be selected who will figure in the merit list. No one will be entertained through a backdoor,” said an official.
Last year the government constituted a committee to accelerate the recruitment process and ensure certain principles of transparency, inclusiveness and speed are maintained.
The Committee comprised of Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary, Agriculture/Horticulture Department as its Chairman and Nodal Officer while Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner Secretary, Labour & Employment Department, Farooq Ahmad Lone, Secretary, General Administration Department and Achal Sethi, Secretary, Department of Law, Justice &. PA.
The terms of reference of the Committee were to identify the vacancies for being filled up on immediate basis with priority to Class-IV vacancies; finalizing the procedure to be followed for recruitment, so that the principles of transparency and inclusiveness were maintained and the process of recruitment is concluded speedily.
An analyst said, “The present regime seems concerned over the increase in unemployment rate and is taking major steps to address the issue. The recruitment process has commenced but it needs to be taken to its logical end. Since the day LG Sinha has taken over the reins of the union territory things have moved at a fast pace. He (Sinha) has taken keen interest in empowering the youth. The officials should ensure that the announcements made by LG Sinha are implemented on the ground so that people can feel the change on the ground.”
