Employment programme for youth an apolitical initiative: Omar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the initiative to address unemployment and seek welfare of youths is above all political considerations and the Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY) is completely an apolitical measure.
"The SKEWPY is completely an apolitical measure of the government," Omar said here, addressing a meet of budding entrepreneurs, who have set up their ventures with help from the programme and Youth Start-Up Loan Scheme.
"Youths are our future and their nurturing should not be linked with any consideration," he said and added that many politicians want to take political advantage of the problems confronting youths particularly those who unemployment. Some political parties even promised two government jobs to each household despite knowing that they cannot do it at all.

The Chief Minister said that answer to the unemployment crisis is not in providing government jobs to youths but nurturing their talent and facilitating them financially and technically to earn independent livelihood.
Omar said while his government is creating jobs in state departments and upgrading employability of youths, the welfare programme is significantly important in this regard.
The Chief Minister said youths who have launched their entrepreneurship units under SKEWPY and have succeeded in their efforts are no less than the two persons -- Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay -- who first climbed Mount Everest and inspired others to follow.

He said the Reserve Bank of India has categorically directed the banks not to demand any collateral guarantee for any loan under Rs 10 lakh and asked the youth that if any bank manager asks them this kind of guarantee they should inform him through Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) so that appropriate action could be taken.
"When we started this scheme we kept its framework and procedures flexible so that by learning with experience, it is further improved and upgraded," he said. The Chief Minister asked the unit holders to mail their genuine difficulties, if any, to him for redressal.