M A I N   N E W S

Task force to tackle unemployment

Srinagar, April 19
In an initiative to address the problems of unemployment and revival of the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today unveiled a ten-point programme, including the setting up of a task force to prepare a comprehensive plan to create one lakh employment and self-employment opportunities.

“The task force, comprising members from the Centre and state governments, industry, commerce, banks and financial institutions, will prepare a comprehensive plan to create one lakh employment and self-employment opportunities by June 30 and the implementation of the plan will begin by August 15,” he said at a press conference here.

“These will not, primarily, be government jobs, which will, in any case, continue at the current rate of recruitment in the Central and state governments. Rather, these will be in various thrust areas in the state — tourism, horticulture, agriculture, food processing, crafts, cottage and small industries, services, education, social welfare and infrastructure,” Mr Vajpayee said.

These new opportunities for employment and self-employment would be created principally through accelerating the rate of economic growth in the state and more effective implementation of employment-oriented schemes and programmes, he said. PTI