Over 80,000 educated unemployed youth registered in J-K:

Jammu and Kashmir Labour minister Haseeb Drabu today said that 87,650 educated unemployed youths were registered with district employment and counselling centres in the state.

In a written reply in the state Assembly, Drabu, who also holds the finance portfolio, informed the House that of the total, 41,981 were registered with centre's in the Kashmir division and 45,669 in the Jammu division.

"The registration is voluntary and the total figure may be higher," he said, adding that several initiatives have been taken to provide them jobs in the government and private sectors.

The highest registration of 11,027 is in Jammu district and the lowest in Budgam at 1,188, the minister said.

Drabu said that 8,508 youths were registered with centres in Kathua district; 7,165 in Samba; 6,401 in Anantnag; 5,809 in Srinagar; 5,489 in Kulgam; 5,053 in Rajouri; 4,594 in Shopian; 3,546 in Kargil; 3,358 in Baramulla and 3,206 in Poonch.

Registrations in Ramban was 1,305; 1,847 in Kupwara; 2,017 in Bandipora; 2,033 in Kishtwar; 2,081 in Doda; 2,292 in Leh; 2,339 in Reasi; 2,453 in Ganderbal; 2,952 in Udhampur and 2987 in Pulwama, he said.

He said that of the total registered youths, 26,213 have completed 10+2; 17,351 are graduates; 6,586 post-graduates; 3,286 diploma holders; 2,877 degree holders and 2,104 ITI trained.

Drabu said the government, in accordance with an order issued in June 2015, had adopted a policy to fast-track recruitment for non-gazetted posts.

To implement this policy, the Jammu and Kashmir Special Recruitment Rule was notified in 2015. Under this, the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Services Selection Board (SSB) were mandated to complete the selection process for vacancies in a time-bound manner, he said.

During the last three years, the PSC has made 3,290 selections and the SSB 19,583, Drabu said.

Informing the House about programmes being implemented by the government to provide employment, he said under the Seed Capital Fund scheme 1,459 beneficiaries were covered in the last three years, generating employment for 8,098 people.

Drabu said that 892 units were sponsored under the Youth Start-Up Loan scheme during the same period and this generated jobs for 1,727 people.

Under the Women Entrepreneurship programme, the minister said that 451 units had been sponsored in three years, generating employment for 1,353 people.