80,000 youngsters to be skilled in different fields in J&K: LG’s advisor

Jammu, Feb 12 (PTI) Around 80,000 youngsters from across Jammu and Kashmir will be skilled in different fields, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor’s advisor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar said on Sunday.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a mega job fair organised by the Labour and Employment Department here, Bhatnagar said the administration is encouraging self-employment as several schemes in different sectors have been initiated to create employability avenues for the youth.

“Under the Back to Village (B2V) and My Town My Pride (MTMP) programme, the administration has identified 80,000 youth from all districts who will be skilled in different fields,” the advisor said.

More than 4,000 candidates participated in the fair with around 60 reputed organisations and companies projecting job openings of around 1,911. About 1,000 candidates were shortlisted and 200 were selected on spot.

Bhatnagar said the skill ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir has been upgraded and a lot of advanced courses, in line with the National Education Policy, are being made available for students.

He also sought from the employers suggestions regarding upgradation of existing courses to suit their requirements.

Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessing accelerated growth in the last few years, Bhatnagar said the hospitality and tourism sector is witnessing a tremendous boom which reflects the vision and commitment of the government to make the Union Territory one of the most sought after destinations across the globe.

He advised all the stakeholders to upgrade their manpower as per the demands so that a world-class hospitality industry is established in Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the Industrial Policy, he said Jammu and Kashmir is going to witness huge investments, particularly in the infrastructure development sector, which will make the Union Territory a “land of opportunities” and “sunrise region of the country”.

Acknowledging suggestions of the participants, the advisor asked them to offer internships and apprenticeship programmes to the students so that they get on-the-job training and experience.