Kulgam, Sep 26: Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Youth Federation (JKDYF), the youth wing of the UT unit of CPI(M), held a peaceful demonstration on Monday in Kulgam, expressing concerns about the implementation of smart meters and the “escalating unemployment crisis” in the Union Territory.
The protest march, which commenced from the CPI(M) office and concluded at the Mini Secretariat Kulgam, witnessed the active participation of numerous party members and youths.
Mohammad Abass, a DDC Member and Vice President JKDYF, underscored the “stark reality of J&K having one of the highest unemployment rates among all states”. He lamented over the dearth of opportunities for the youth, saying they have been left without viable options.
“The government must take proactive steps to improve the situation for our youth, who find themselves in an unfavourable predicament,” Rather stated.
Javed Ahmad, the State General Secretary of JKDYF, strongly criticised the administration for introducing smart meters and for a surge in unemployment rates in the UT.
“There is a glaring disparity between the government’s promise of creating two crore jobs and the grim reality faced by the youth of J&K,” he said. He pointed out the stagnation in SSB recruitment and raised concerns about the transparency of the process, which has disproportionately impacted educated youth.
Javed expressed dissatisfaction with the timing of introducing smart meters, a move he said coincides with financial difficulties faced by many in paying their regular electricity bills.
“The unemployed youths are facing trying times, especially those who are considered ‘overage’ and aspire to pursue entrepreneurial ventures – securing loans from banks remains a formidable challenge without an employee to vouch for them,” he added.
Later, the representatives submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Kulgam as well.
