New Delhi, Feb 12 Responding to the concerns of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference MP Chowdry Muhammad Ramzan, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje defended the government's initiatives, asserting that several schemes have been launched to bring young people to the forefront of employment opportunities.
"To save Kashmir and bring the young people to the forefront is our aim," Karandlaje said, sharing an anecdotal experience to illustrate changing perceptions.
She recounted how, during a flight, a girl from the region told her, "This is the first time ever in the history of the nation, a Prime Minister is thinking about the children of Jammu and Kashmir."
The minister framed this as evidence of the Centre's renewed focus on the UT's youth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
She highlighted progress under the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), revealing that 1,60,000 individuals from Jammu and Kashmir have enrolled in EPFO within the last two years -- a significant step towards formal sector integration and social security coverage.
The exchange comes amid broader debates in Parliament on unemployment, particularly in the context of the Union Budget discussions.
Opposition members, including those from Congress, have repeatedly criticised the government for inadequate job creation strategies, while highlighting regional disparities.
In Jammu and Kashmir, persistent unemployment has been linked to multiple social challenges, including the drug menace, which experts and local leaders say affects lakhs of youth and threatens long-term stability.
Muhammad Ramzan on Thursday spotlighted the acute unemployment crisis gripping the union territory during a parliamentary discussion, warning that joblessness is pushing the region's youth towards social evils, including widespread drug addiction.
Ramzan described unemployment as a "striking issue" in Jammu and Kashmir, where thousands of educated young people remain without meaningful employment opportunities. He emphasised that the lack of jobs is not merely an economic problem but a social one, directly contributing to the alarming rise in drug abuse among the youth.
"Unemployment leads the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to social evils like drugs," he stated, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions to prevent further societal damage.
Ramzan questioned the Central government on its concrete plans to address this plight, pressing Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje for specific measures to curb the growing despair in the region.
The government's emphasis on EPFO enrollment and welfare schemes signals efforts to formalise employment, but critics maintain that more robust, region-specific industrial and entrepreneurial incentives are needed to tackle the root causes effectively.
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